Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Bradley’s super Swedish start
BLAIRGOWRIE’S Bradley Neil shot a 67 to be two behind leader Erik van Rooyen after the first round of the Challenge Tour golf event at Katrineholm, Sweden.
Bradley (21), who is lying eighth in the Challenge Tour standings, was fiveunder-par for his round.
Starting on the 10th, he went out in 35 but six birdies on the way back in saw him cover his last nine holes in 32.
Having finished second recently i n the Czech Republic and Italy, Bradley is in good form.
The prize money for the tournament is 200,000 euros.
RICHARD McEvoy tamed a “monster” course to keep his game in top gear by claiming a share of the lead on day one of the Porsche European Open in Hamburg.
McEvoy, who won his first event since 2004 in the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge at the start of the month, carded six birdies in an opening 66 on the 7,582 yard Green Eagle course.
That looked set to give the 38-year-old the outright lead until Julian Suri birdied four of his last five holes to also finish six under, a shot ahead of defending champion Alex Levy, Charl Schwartzel, Stuart Manley and Chris Paisley.
“I’m very pleased,” McEvoy said. “At the start of the week I thought it’s not really my style of course.
“It’s wet out there and I’m not the longest of hitters. I’m quite average on tour but I did everything kind of right today.
“When I got myself in trouble, I got out of it well, and I took advantage of the holes where I was hitting wedges in. It was a very pleasing start.
“Obviously winning in Scotland was great for me. Confidence-wise, in particular, it was fantastic.
“I hadn’t won for 13 years and nothing beats winning for confidence, so that was a nice thing to do.”
Victory in the Scottish at Aviemore took McEvoy to seventh on the Challenge Tour Road to Oman rankings, with the top 15 at the end of the season gaining full playing rights on the European Tour.
KARRIE Webb carded a superb 65 to claim a narrow l ead after the opening round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open.
Webb fired five birdies in a row from the 11th and seven in her last 10 holes to finish seven-under-par at Dundonald Links, a shot ahead of Cristie Kerr.
“When we were warming up, and for our first few holes, it was really cold and windy,” Webb said.
“I looked at the scoreboard and saw that Cristie Kerr shot six under and I was like, ‘What course did she play today?’
“Then I sort of really hung in there through the front nine and made a nice birdie on nine to turn at one under.
“I then j ust really started swinging it well and hitting it quite close. I had some good birdie chances and made the most of them.
“I j ust kept telling myself to keep going. When you make a few birdies it’s important not to just go into the mode of holding on.”
Kerr had looked like ending the day at the head of affairs after overcoming tough conditions to card six birdies in a bogey-free 66.
“I j ust controlled it really well out there with the crosswinds and I had a great day,” Kerr commented.