Injury-free Schwartzel leads Thai challenge

CHARL Schwartzel banished the injury woes that have marred his season to take the overnight lead at the Thailand Golf Championship yesterday, galvanising his bid to better last year’s second place to Lee Westwood.

The 2011 Masters champion hit seven birdies in a flawless 65 in steamy conditions at the Amata Spring course as he appeared to be over his rib injury.

Leading the chasing pack was home star Thitiphun Chuayprakong, who said a new coach working on the mental side of his game had fuelled his promising 66, while surprise packages Daniel Chopra and Javi Colomo finished one behind at five under.

“I’m just playing injury-free ... that’s allowing me to swing the club much better. My consistency is coming back and that’s the key for me,” said the South African Schwartzel, who has not claimed a title since his Augusta win.

“When you are playing with an injury, you always try to protect the injury and the consequence is a bad swing.”

Masters champion Bubba Watson led a clutch of players on four under, defying the furnace-like midmorning temperatures and teasing the crowd with a glimpse of his renowned buccaneering “Bubba Golf”, by holing a birdie, eagle then birdie after the turn.

Ryder Cup winner Sergio Garcia returned to the clubhouse with a three under 69.

But it was a frustrating day for defending champion Westwood, who had said he was capable of repeating a miraculous first round 60 that spurred his victory last year, but found his putting let him down to send him in at two under.

A bogey at the last took the sheen off a solid, if unspectacular, round from the world number six, and he was clearly unhappy with his effort as he trudged into the clubhouse without speaking to waiting reporters. – Sapa-AFP