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Birdie barrage fires Brown into lead
Source: Agencies |
November 19, 2010, Friday
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NEW Zealander Mark Brown made a late charge to top the first round leader board at the Hong Kong Open yesterday, recording an eight-under par 62 to lead two-time runner-up Rory McIlroy by one shot.
Brown surged late at the Fanling course to overhaul early leader McIlroy, who had impressed in benign conditions in the morning to fire a 63, leaving him well placed to go one better than his second-place finishes in 2008 and 2009.
McIlroy was joined in second place by India's Jeev Milkha Singh with Englishman Simon Dyson and Denmark's Soren Hansen in a tie for fourth.
US Open champion Graeme McDowell was a shot further back with five others on five-under par in a tie for sixth.
"Kind of a bit of a surprise after my form over the last two months, but a good surprise," said Brown after a bogey-free round laced with eight birdies.
"It's the sort of course that gives you a lot of chances as long as you hit it in the fairway. I just tried to get the ball in play. Don't hit a lot of drivers, which probably suits me the way I've been hitting my driver lately."
McIlroy also racked up eight birdies during his round but dropped a shot at the par-four sixth to be in a prime position to finally get his first European Tour win of the season.
"The conditions are perfect for scoring," said the 21-year-old Northern Irishman. "There wasn't any wind and when the greens are that good in the morning you can take advantage of it and that is what I was able to do today.
On a day of low scoring in the joint European and Asian Tour event, 80 players went below par. It was Dyson who claimed clubhouse bragging rights, getting a hole in one at the par-three 11th en route to a round of 64 that left him tied for fourth.
The previous hole, he had chipped in from off the green.
"That was a nice start and then it got even better at the next," Dyson said. "Perfect yardage, no wind, perfect wedge."
Ian Poulter had a 67 to be five shots off the lead, while major winners YE Yang and John Daly had a 68 and 69 respectively.
Brown surged late at the Fanling course to overhaul early leader McIlroy, who had impressed in benign conditions in the morning to fire a 63, leaving him well placed to go one better than his second-place finishes in 2008 and 2009.
McIlroy was joined in second place by India's Jeev Milkha Singh with Englishman Simon Dyson and Denmark's Soren Hansen in a tie for fourth.
US Open champion Graeme McDowell was a shot further back with five others on five-under par in a tie for sixth.
"Kind of a bit of a surprise after my form over the last two months, but a good surprise," said Brown after a bogey-free round laced with eight birdies.
"It's the sort of course that gives you a lot of chances as long as you hit it in the fairway. I just tried to get the ball in play. Don't hit a lot of drivers, which probably suits me the way I've been hitting my driver lately."
McIlroy also racked up eight birdies during his round but dropped a shot at the par-four sixth to be in a prime position to finally get his first European Tour win of the season.
"The conditions are perfect for scoring," said the 21-year-old Northern Irishman. "There wasn't any wind and when the greens are that good in the morning you can take advantage of it and that is what I was able to do today.
On a day of low scoring in the joint European and Asian Tour event, 80 players went below par. It was Dyson who claimed clubhouse bragging rights, getting a hole in one at the par-three 11th en route to a round of 64 that left him tied for fourth.
The previous hole, he had chipped in from off the green.
"That was a nice start and then it got even better at the next," Dyson said. "Perfect yardage, no wind, perfect wedge."
Ian Poulter had a 67 to be five shots off the lead, while major winners YE Yang and John Daly had a 68 and 69 respectively.
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