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Germans lead way in China

Brits some way back after day one at Mission Hills

Last updated: 28th November 2008

Cejka (L) and Kaymer in China

First round leaderboard:
Germany -10
Australia -9
America -8
Canada -8
Spain -8
Denmark -7
Ireland -7
New Zealand -7
Sweden -7

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Germany set the pace on the opening day of action at the Mission Hills World Cup as Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka combined to return a ten-under-par 62 in the fourball format to open a one-shot lead on the field.

Australian duo Richard Green and Brendan Jones sit second after a fine 63, while Spain (Miguel Angel Jimenez/Pablo Larrazabal), Canada (Graham Dalaet/Wes Heffernan) and America (Ben Curtis/Brandt Snedeker) are in a tie for third a shot further back on eight-under.

Pre-tournament favourites Robert Karlsson and Henrik Stenson of Sweden made a strong finish to their round to end up just three shots off the pace alongside Ireland's pairing of Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley amongst others.

However, it was a less productive day for reigning champions Scotland with Colin Montgomerie, this year partnered by Alastair Forsyth, signing for a four-under-par 68 despite not dropping a single shot.

England's Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher are further back still in a tie for 20th on three-under after a largely frustrating 69.

Bidding for their second victory in the event in three years, Kaymer ensured Germany made a blistering start to their campaign as he opened his round with three straight birdies.

His partner Cejka is playing his first competitive tournament since undergoing neck surgery following the Open Championship in July to correct a trapped nerve, but the 37-year-old showed no ill effects as he weighed in with another birdie at the fourth.

Incredible eagle

Their round was given a huge fillip at the seventh when Kaymer then holed an incredible 75-foot putt for eagle.

"That putt was one of the longest putts I've ever made. It was over a huge ridge," explained Kaymer, who went on to add a further birdie at the ninth and two more on the way home to ensure the Germans sit pretty at the top of the leaderboard.

"We had a really good start today. We were seven under after nine holes and kept playing well on the back nine and finished 10 under," he added afterwards.

"That is a very good score because it was windy out there and it was a little bit tougher than last year."

In contrast to Germany, the Australians came with a late charge to shoot themselves into contention with six of their nine birdies coming on the back nine.

After just three birdies on the way out, they turned on the style after the turn with Green producing birdies at 11, 13, 16 and 18 and Jones doing likewise at 14 and 15 as they put their nation in the running for a fifth World Cup crown.

"We progressed pretty nicely through the front nine and hung in there I guess," Green stated.

"We had a really nice run through the middle of the back nine, made most of the birdies there and it was a good feeling finishing off the way we did."

Calamitous finish

Ireland should have finished at least level with the Australian duo on nine-under but finished their round in calamitous fashion as neither McDowell nor McGinley could do better than a double-bogey six at the last.

That lapse ensured they ended the day in a share of sixth with the Swedes, Denmark and New Zealand, but a disappointed McDowell tried to take the positives.

"You don't expect to be making bogeys, certainly not double bogeys," he said. "We are both disappointed with the finish but there is a lot of good golf out there."

The Welsh pairing of Bradley Dredge and Richard Johnson find themselves level with England on three-under after an opening 69.