Amazing Grace equals European Tour record of 60

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland: South African Branden Grace equalled the European Tour record when he shot a blistering 12-under-par 60 midway through the first round of the Dunhill Links Championship yesterday.
Grace, a triple winner on the tour in 2012, clipped two strokes off Lee Westwood’s previous Kingsbarns record of 62 set in 2003 after finishing with five straight birdies.
Frenchman Victor Dubuisson was two shots off the lead on 62 after breaking the course record at St. Andrews, one of three layouts being used this week.
Grace became the 14th player to shoot a 60 on the European Tour.
Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, the 2011 British Open winner, is the only man to card two 60s on the circuit, in 1992 and 1999.
Long-hitting Frenchman Dubuisson broke the previous St. Andrews best of 63 held by world number one Rory McIlroy, former top-ranked player Luke Donald and fellow Briton Simon Dyson.
Young Dane Thorbjorn Olesen was also on form at the famous Old Course, returning a 63 in the $5 million Dunhill pro-am tournament.
Ryder Cup hero Martin Kaymer (70) played at the more testing Carnoustie layout and missed a par putt at the 18th of a similar length to the one he holed in Chicago last Sunday to win the trophy for Europe.
“The putter was not really hot but in general you’ve got to play solid at the toughest course we play here,” the 2010 US PGA champion told reporters.
“It’s a very nice feeling to come here after Sunday. A lot of people told me it was their best sporting experience on TV,” added the German.
Europe came back from 10-6 down to score a stunning 14 1/2 — 13 1/2 win over United States in the biennial team event.
Kaymer’s Ryder Cup team mates Paul Lawrie (75) and Peter Hanson (72), both playing at Carnoustie, also found the going tough.
British Open champion Ernie Els returned a 73 at Carnoustie where the best score midway through round one was a 67 by England’s Oliver Wilson.

Yip outshines better-known rivals to take lead
In Seoul, Canada’s Ryan Yip shot a flawless seven-under-par 64 to take the first round-lead ahead of better-known rivals at the CJ Invitational in South Korea yesterday.
Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, a 14-time Asian tour winner, and Australia’s Rick Kulacz shared second place on 65 at the tournament hosted by Korean star K.J. Choi.
Korea’s Lee Dong-Hwan signed for a 66 to take fourth place while seven players posted 67 to share fifth place, including seven-time Asian Tour winner Charlie Wi, Korea’s Lee Sung and Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.
But Yip was the star on the first day of the $750,000 event at Haesley Nine Bridges Golf Club in the northern county of Yeoju, which is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Korean Golf Tour.





“It’s all about giving yourself as many chances as you can and luckily for me, I made a couple of putts and played really solid today,” said the 28-year old, in comments released by the tournament organizers.
“I love events like this... (it) grows the game and it’s great for Asian golf.”
Thaworn carded a flawless 65 despite being distracted by the huge crowd following the marquee group of host K.J Choi and American Ben Curtis, who were playing ahead of him.
But the Thai, who holds the record of the most number of wins on the Asian Tour, felt that his score could have been better.
“The putts were all dropping and I couldn’t have played my short game any better. I was just affected by the crowd ahead as they were running everywhere eager to watch K.J. in action,” said Thaworn.
Leading scores after round one:
64 — Ryan Yip (CAN)
65 — Rick Kulacz (AUS), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA)
66 — Lee Dong-Hwan (KOR)
67 — Park Hyun-Bin (KOR), Charlie Wi (KOR), Kang Kyung-Nam (KOR), Chapchai Nirat (THA), Adam Blyth (AUS), Maeng Dong-Seop (KOR), Lee Sung (KOR).