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Bjorn banishes Paris woes

Dane holds two-stroke lead after sizzling 64 at Kingsbarns

Last updated: 1st October 2009

Bjorn: two-shot lead

First-round leaderboard:
(GB & Ire unless stated)
T Bjorn (Den) -8
R McGowan -6
G Maybin -6
Five players at -5

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Thomas Bjorn put the disappointment of last week's Vivendi Trophy behind him to open a two-shot lead after the first day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

The Dane captained the Continental Europe side who were well beaten by Great Britain and Ireland in Paris last week, but had much more to smile about after firing a superb eight-under-par 64 at Kingsbarns on Thursday.

That earned him a two-stroke advantage over England's Ross McGowan and Gareth Maybin of Northern Ireland who shot 66s at St Andrews and Kingsbarns respectively.

Six players stand at five-under including Scotland's Richie Ramsay whose 67 was the lowest round of the day at a typically testing Carnoustie.

Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Simon Dyson all managed 68s at Carnoustie and form part of an 11-way tie for tenth at four-under.

But it is Bjorn who leads the way after a sparkling round that included an eagle, six birdies and not a single dropped shot.

The 38-year-old, who started with a birdie at the tenth, picked up further strokes at 12, 14 and 16 to hit the turn in just 32.

His excellent form continued with a three at the 516-yard par-five third and a wonderful day's work was completed as he conjured further birdies at four and six.

Bjorn cut an understandably delighted figure and revealed the Vivendi Trophy defeat had ultimately provided some inspiration.

Inspired

"It was a hard week last week - I spent a lot of time thinking and using the head - but I got inspired by it," he explained.

"I drove the ball fantastic all day - and for the first time in a long time started rolling in a few putts.

"It's just nice to walk off and feel like for once I got what I deserved."

Bjorn is chairman of the players' committee and added: "It's tough times for the Tour and I put a lot of effort into the captaincy as well, so it's nice to get these things out of the way and now concentrate a little bit on the career I still have ahead of me."

Like Bjorn, Maybin also kept a bogey off his card and produced six birdies during a wonderfully consistent round.

McGowan, third on his last start at the European Masters a month ago, took advantage of relatively calm conditions at St Andrews and will be pleased to have done so given that he will be at the far tougher Carnoustie on Saturday when 40mph winds are predicted.

The 27-year-old mixed seven birdies with a bogey including a run of six in his last ten hole.

"That was the lowest round I've had on the Old Course from the 30-odd times I've played here," he said afterwards.

Impressive

Ramsay had not been scheduled to compete this week but was called up when Paul Casey pulled out and made the most of his opportunity was his impressive 67.

However, the Scot knows he will have to continue in the same vein given that he needs a top-10 finish to secure his European Tour card for next season.

McIlroy is battling for honours at the other end of the money-list and can take over at the top of the European Tour standings with a second-placed finish - providing Westwood is not the player to beat him.

The Northern Irish youngster was playing alongside his father at Carnoustie and clearly enjoyed the experience as he bounced back from a bogey at his second hole, the 11th, to fire five birdies in a solid display.

Pre-tournament favourite Padraig Harrington, also playing at Carnoustie, returned a two-under-par 70 but will be ruing a bogey at his last hole.

Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie could do no better than 73, while Robert Karlsson and Nick Dougherty, the last two winners of the title, slumped to 76 and 78 respectively.

McGowan and Richard Bevan, CEO of English football's League Managers Association lead the pro-am event, while Manuel De Los Santos - the remarkable one-legged golfer from the Dominican Republic - teamed up with English professional Richard Bland to card an opening six-under-par 66 at Kingsbarns.