Mathis Travels well
DAVID Mathis was in the lead on six under after carding a 64 on day one of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.
The American birdied five holes and eagled and bogeyed once to take a one-shot lead over four players. Australian Nathan Green and Will Claxton of the United States, along with Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson, all carded 65s at the TPC River Highlands. American Kevin Kisner was also on 65 with two holes to play.
It was Mathis who topped the leaderboard, however and he came firing out of the traps. The 38-year-old, who missed the cut at this year’s US Open in his only major appearance to date, birdied the tenth – his first hole – eagled the 11th and picked up shots on three of his next four holes. Although he bogeyed the 18th, he birdied the par-four third to take the outright lead.
England’s Gary Christian finished on four under along with American Jerry Kelly, while Masters winner Bubba Watson was a shot further back on three under at the turn. Ian Poulter and recently-crowned US Open champion Webb Simpson both carded two-under-par 68s, with Irishman Padraig Harrington and winner of the 2010 Open Louis Oosthuizen among several players on one under. THERE were many people glued to the Euro 2012 quarter-final between the Czech Republic and Portugal last night, but not so much as to keep fingers off keypads. . .
Former Hibs defender James McPake speculated: “Big Ronnie to get the winner here!” And he was right.
Rangers’ Carlos Bocanegra was full of praise for the striker’s goal. “Great technique on that header, great anticipation as well.”
The Czechs didn’t come out of it too well. Dan Walker asked: “By the way... can anyone name a more ineffectual international frontman than Milan Baros? T hink he last touched the ball in 2009!”
Closer to home, the chat centred round events off the pitch and Vladimir Romanov’s laser-guided rant at Rangers et al was a hit. Greg Maxwell said: “A few people had Hearts earmarked as a definite ‘yes’ vote for a newco Rangers only a few weeks ago but VR’s statement throws that out.”
The Scotland rugby side are preparing to take on Samoa in the early hours of tomorrow morning, our time, and man of the moment Tim Visser was taking some time out.
“Loving the rocksliding in Samoa this morning,” he wrote.