Colsaerts leads after a 10-birdie blitz
WHEN Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts hits a golf ball, it stays hit. He is said to be the longest hitter on tour although fellow “gorilla” Alvaro Quiros from Spain might dispute this.
In any event, it helps to hit the ball miles (providing it’s a straight shot too) in order to make a good score at the long, tough par-73 Links at Fancourt, where the Volvo Champions event is being played.
Also, the fact that there are five par-5s, which is more than usual, plays into a long hitter’s hands and – given all this – Colsaerts capitalised with a simply brilliant nine-under-par 64 in yesterday’s first round of this, the European Tour’s first-ever “tournament of champions”.
The Brussels Bomber made 10 birdies in all, three on an outward half of two-under-par 34, and seven in a glorious, record-setting inward loop of just 30 shots, seven under par.
“Every birdie I made seemed to be from close range because I was hitting iron after iron very close to the flag,” said the 29-year-old.
He leads by four from three players bracketed on fiveunder-par 68 – England’s 21year-old European Rookie of the Year for 2011, Tom Lewis, and – delighting the home fans on a steamy 39 degree Celsius day here – South African duo Thomas Aiken and Branden Grace. In Grace’s case, the good golf coming just five days after his Joburg Open victory.
“With the putter in hand, I holed every chance I had and the longest birdie chance was 12 feet. All the others were a lot shorter,” added Belgian Colsaerts.
He did make short work of the par-5s, with birdies at four of them. But even more impressive was his work at the four par-3s where he made twos each time.
“You don’t see that too often on tour, and I’ve certainly not done it before – making birdies at every short hole. And the round as a whole – well, it was my best ever on tour.”
Colsaerts seems to have an affinity for any tournament sponsored by Volvo. He won the car manufacturers’ China Open last year and was a semifinalist in the Volvo World Matchplay. Now he leads here.
“It’s like I’m having a love affair with Volvo. I don’t drive one, though, but I’m sure with my record in their tourna- ments we can sort something out with the Volvo people,” he said.
Grace, 23, only got his tour card for 2012 at the European Tour’s Q-school in December. Then last Sunday he earned his maiden European Tour victory at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington. Now he’s in contention in this 2 million showpiece. Things certainly have been happening fast for him and, what’s more, yesterday he was in front of the “home crowd” as he plays out of Fancourt.
“I’m hitting the ball well and looking forward to the rest of this tournament and the rest of the season now that I’m exempt on the European Tour,” he said.
Spanish Open champion Aiken was asked if he was surprised by the low scoring as 22 of the 35 players are under par.
“Not really, when you get so many good golfers together in a tournament you can expect a high standard. Also, besides the heat, conditions were perfect today as there was very little wind.”
Lying joint fifth on fourunder 69 last night were England’s David Horsey, Dutchman Joost Luiten, Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen, the little South African playing well again after his Africa Open defence at East London Golf Club two Sundays back.
Ernie Els started his round with bogeys at two of the first three holes, but finished strongly with three straight birdies at 16, 17 and 18 to post a two-under 71.
Hennie Otto also shot 71, as did Garth Mulroy, while Retief Goosen was home in 72.
Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who missed the cut in last week’s Joburg Open, struggled again yesterday with a two-over 75, while playing partner Darren Clarke – the Open champion – could only manage a 74.
Refreshed after a lengthy end-of-season break, Colombian Camillo Villegas fired a sizzling nine-under-par 63 to share the first-round lead in the Humana Challenge at La Quinta, California.
The 30-year-old from Medellin took advantage of near-perfect conditions with a flawless display on the Nicklaus Private course, one of three venues hosting the pro-am celebrity event.
In pursuit of his fourth PGA Tour title, Villegas ended the day level with American veteran David Toms, who carded a bogey-free 63. – Reuters