JAMIE BACK TO HIS BEST
GOLF
RYDER CUP hero Jamie Donaldson shot an opening 69 to lie a shot off the lead in the Nordea Masters.
The Welshman, who has recorded just one top-10 finish in the last 17 months, fired four birdies in a flawless round at Barseback Golf Club in Malmo, Sweden.
Italy’s Renato Paratore and England’s Max Orrin share top spot on five under.
Donaldson reached a career high of 23rd in the world in 2014, the year in which he secured the winning point as Europe defeated the United States at Gleneagles to win a third successive Ryder Cup.
However, the 41-year-old has struggled for form and fitness since winning the Thailand Championship in December 2015 and was lucky to escape serious injury to his left hand the following month after an accident with a chainsaw while gardening.
Donaldson has missed the cut in five of his nine events in 2017 but shares second place with fellow Welshman Bradley Dredge.
He said: “I’ve been playing okay recently but I just haven’t been getting much out of my rounds even when I’ve been playing nicely.
“I’ve had injuries but I’m happy with how I’m feeling now and how I’m playing.
“It was cold early doors and blowing so I was happy with a 69 in the end. You’ve just got to try to control your golf ball out there.”
Richie Ramsay and Scott Jamieson are the top Scots after both went round in level-par 73s.
Marc Warren and Stephen Gallacher are one over.
● Roberto de Vicenzo, the winner of the 1967 Open and one of the greatest Argentine golfers of all-time, has died just weeks after suffering a fall at his home. He was 94.
De Vicenzo became the first South American to win The Open when he beat Jack Nicklaus by two strokes at Royal Liverpool.