Kennedy puts stars in the shade
Friday, March 2, 2007
AUSTRALIAN Brad Kennedy upstaged the big guns to take the first round lead in the star-studded Johnnie Walker Classic with a superb seven-under 65 yesterday.
Kennedy, a regular on the Asian Tour, sank eight birdies at the spectacular Blue Canyon Country Club and leads by one stroke from former US Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada, Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, England's Graeme Storm and Sweden's Peter Hanson.
Asia's No 1 Jeev Milkha Singh, last year's winner of the UBS Order of Merit, flew the flag for the region with an accomplished 67 that included an eagle, courtesy of a 60-foot putt on the ninth.
The Johnnie Walker Classic's star attractions, South African duo Ernie Els and Retief Goosen and Australian Adam Scott, all Top 10 players in the world, endured mixed fortunes over the challenging par-72, 7,189 yard course.
World No 8 Goosen, who won the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in January, enjoyed a solid 68 to lie three back, but Els, chasing a record third victory in the prestigious Johnnie Walker Classic, endured a roller-coaster day, shooting six birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys for a 73.
World No 4 Scott, the highest ranked player in the field, struggled to a 74, his woes compounded when a two-foot birdie putt on his last hole horse-shoed out.Asian Tour
Kennedy, a regular on the Asian Tour, sank eight birdies at the spectacular Blue Canyon Country Club and leads by one stroke from former US Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada, Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, England's Graeme Storm and Sweden's Peter Hanson.
Asia's No 1 Jeev Milkha Singh, last year's winner of the UBS Order of Merit, flew the flag for the region with an accomplished 67 that included an eagle, courtesy of a 60-foot putt on the ninth.
The Johnnie Walker Classic's star attractions, South African duo Ernie Els and Retief Goosen and Australian Adam Scott, all Top 10 players in the world, endured mixed fortunes over the challenging par-72, 7,189 yard course.
World No 8 Goosen, who won the Commercialbank Qatar Masters in January, enjoyed a solid 68 to lie three back, but Els, chasing a record third victory in the prestigious Johnnie Walker Classic, endured a roller-coaster day, shooting six birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys for a 73.
World No 4 Scott, the highest ranked player in the field, struggled to a 74, his woes compounded when a two-foot birdie putt on his last hole horse-shoed out.Asian Tour
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