Jamieson delighted with efforts on his return after five weeks out
Scott Jamieson maintained his run of promising starts on the DP World Tour this season and was joined on this occasion by David Law as the Scottish duo both produced a good day’s work in the ISPS Handa Championship in Spain.
After a delay of two hours and 15 minutes due to overnight flooding on the Lakes Course at Infinitum in Tarragona, Jamieson carded a fourunder 66 to briefly share the clubhouse lead, before Law came in soon afterwards with a splendid bogey-free 65.
That was beaten late in the day as Finn Tapio Pulkkanen and American Johannes Veerman both came in with 64s, while South African Hennie Du Plessis and India’s SSP Chawrasia were also on sixunder when play was stopped due to fading light just before 8.45pm.
“Yeah, really happy,” said Law of a card that contained a burst of four birdies in six holes around the turn then one to finish. “I didn’t really know what to expect coming into this week after having four weeks’ off.
“I had Covid the first week I was at home and I’m still not feeling particularly great. I had no expectations coming into the week, so to start off like that wasn’t something I expected, but I managed myself pretty well out there.”
After being braced for a firm and fast test, the course changed dramatically overnight following torrential downpours in the north-east of Spain.
“It was really disappointing to get the rain as the greens were firm and the rough is thick,” said Law, who had made the cut in his opening six events of the season, before seeing that run ended in last month’s Steyn City Championship. “Hopefully it firms up again.”
Jamieson, who has made a habit of being quick out of the blocks this year, is to the fore again early on, though his round was more adventurous.
The Florida-based player was one-under after 10 holes before mixing six birdies with a bogey and a double-bogey over the remaining stretch.
“Delighted with that,” said Jamieson, who has made the cut in six out of six starts in 2020, including top-10 finishes in both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Ras al Khaimah Classic. “I’ve had five weeks off, so you are always a bit uneasy, not sure what to expect.
“Off the tee, I could have been a bit better, but I hit some good iron shots when I was in play and the putter behaved nicely.”
As was illustrated by the fact he made gains at the 11th, 13th and 14th before signing off with a hat-trick of red figures.
“I think on any golf course momentum can take over,” added Jamieson of his journey on the back nine. “There are a lot of short irons into holes but, on the flip side, you have four really tough par-fours where you are going in with long clubs.
“Jeez, on the second this morning, I was going in with a three-wood and I couldn’t reach another one because I was in the bunker and, on the other two, I was hitting fourirons.”
Marc Warren birdied three of the last six holes for a 68, one better than Grant Forrest and two less than Craig Howie. Qatar Masters winner Ewen Ferguson was one-over when play stopped.