Fleetwood off to strong start at Sawgrass
● Englishman says he is trying to keep up with Ryder Cup partner Molinari
Tommy Fleetwood passed the “ultimate test in golf ” with flying colours on the opening day of the Players Championship as he looks to keep pace with Ryder Cup partner Francesco Molinari.
Fleetwood birdied six of his last nine holes in an inward half of 30, just one shot outside the tournament record, to set an imposing clubhouse target of seven under par and enjoy a one-shot lead over Korea’s Ben An and American Brian Harman. Rory Mcilroy was a stroke further back after a bogey-free 67 while Tiger Woods was among the later starters and was one over par after three holes.
Fleetwood started from the 10th and managed just one birdie in his first nine holes, butthenpickedupshotsonthe first, second and fifth and finished with a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh.
“I played really well all day apart from I hit a poor tee shot on 14 and got away with it,” Fleetwood told Sky Sports. “And then on 16, the par-5, I hit a poor second and I was a bit frustrated at that point because I had a lot of chances from 15 feet and didn’t make any. It just shows you, stay patient and things can happen.
“The course doesn’t make you feel very comfortable at all, you are always a semi-bad shot from struggling to make par. It’s one of the courses that’s the ultimate test in golf.
“I’ve played well here in the past and if I drive it well that’s a massive key for me. Driving is a strength for me normally and if you put it in play all the
0 Rory Mcilroy shares a laugh with Sergio Garcia before heading out for the opening round in Florida
TOMMY FLEETWOOD time in general you have a big advantage.”
Fleetwood finished seventh at Sawgrass last year and third in the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, when Molinari
stormed through the field with a closing 64 to win his second PGA Tour title.
“I’m trying to keep up,” Fleetwood joked. “It’s hard these days but I’m trying my best. It’s clearly the next step for me to win over here but winning’s not easy and I’ve got to keep plodding away, do the right things and focus on myself.
“It’s a good time to be coming into form. It’s been different this year because I’ve been used to starting so fast, but I feel like I’ve been doing a lot of good things and sometimes you just need a rhythm of shooting good scores and that seems like it’s coming.”
Mcilroy was frustrated not to birdie the par-5 ninth, his final hole, after his approach hit a sprinkler head and flew over
the green into the crowd. But his opening 67 left him just two shots behind Fleetwood and happy that the change in date from May to March meant the conditions were more conducive to aggressive play.
“Over the last 10 years it’s been irons off tees and really trying to plot your way around the golf course, I hit drivers on holes today where I would never have the last few years,” said Mcilroy, who has finished in the top six in all five starts in 2019.
“Even when you are aggressive and you miss, it’s a touch easier to get yourself back into position. The rough isn’t as long or as gnarly and when you miss the greens you are not having to contend with that Bermuda [grass].”
Liam Johnston has the leaders in his sights heading into the second round of the Magical Kenya Open after signing for one of his cleanest cards of the season in the opening circuit in Nairobi.
Too many mistakes in rounds have been the main reason why the 26-year-old from Dumfries has missed seven cuts in his first ten events on the European Tour after graduating from the Challenge Tour on the back of two wins last season.
He had just one bogey, though, in windy conditions at Karen Country Club as he posted a four-under-par 67 to sit joint sixth, just three shots off the lead shared by England’s Jack Singh Brar and South African Louis De Jager.
It was Johnston’s second-lowest score of the season, though his 66 in the second round of the inaugural Saudi International – he finished 30th in the Gulf – was also a fourunder-par effort.
“Today was solid, with my only bogey being a missed short putt on the 15th,” said Johnston, pictured. “This golf course is one you need to be patient on. I have actually taken my driver out this week – the first time I’ve ever done that in a tournament – because it is not long, pretty tight and at altitude, so I didn’t see a need for it in the bag.”
On a day when Singh Brar finished with a flourish, with an eagle and three birdies in his last four holes to set the pace along with de Jager, Calum Hill opened his 2019 campaign with a par-71 that was matched by both Connor Syme and Bob Macintyre.
On the Ladies European Tour, Michele Thomson and Kelsey Macdonald both coped well in testing conditions to make encouraging starts in the Investec South African Women’s Open at Westlake in Cape Town.
As a strong wind wreaked havoc, the Scottish pair posted one-over-par 73s to be joint sixth, just two shots behind the leaders, Lina Boqvist from Sweden and Austrian Sarah Schober.
“I’m really happy with today’s round,” said Thomson after recovering from an opening bogey to make three birdies. “I fought well in the windy conditions and I am really happy to be up there with two rounds to go.
“I had a great finish last week in the New South Wales Open,” added the Aberdonian of tying for 12th behind Meghan Maclaren, her fellow double medallist in the European Team Championships at Gleneagles last year. “I’m happy to finally be playing some great golf again.”
As Macdonald also carded three birdies in her confidence-boosting effort, Carly Booth made it three Saltires in the top 15 as she maintained her recent good form with a 74.
On her pro debut on the circuit, Hannah Mccook is just outside the top 20 after a battling 76, but fellow rookie Gabrielle Macdonald and recent Sunshine Tour winner Jane Turner shot 82 and 85 respectively.
“It’s a good time to be coming into form. Sometimes you just need a rhythm of shooting good scores and that is coming”