MILAN, 30 April 2004 — Britain’s Mark Roe had yet another reminder of last year’s British Open disappointment as he used his long-handle putter to good effect to share the lead in the Italian Open first round yesterday.
Roe shot an eight-under-par 64 to earn a one-shot advantage with Frenchman Gregory Havret over New Zealand’s Michael Campbell and Swede Christopher Hanell.
But while Roe was delighted to finish with a stunning four-iron approach for eagle and to hole a series of lengthy putts, the 41-year-old Englishman was unrepentant over his attack this week on the Royal and Ancient, organizers of the British Open.
After calling its decision to use non-professional recorders “a farce” Roe, who was disqualified from last year’s Open for signing for the wrong score, went back on the attack when asked if having two of the five recorders for this year’s British major on duty was a good move. Roe’s decision to root out the putter he first started using seven years ago was rewarded with a round of just 25 putts, including a 20-footer and two 15-footers among six birdies. It gave him a chance of winning 10 years after his third tour success, the 1994 French Open.
Havret, the 2001 Italian Open champion, matched Roe’s score with nine birdies and a bogey as he tried to go one better than his second place in this year’s Dunhill Championship in South Africa. Campbell celebrated his first event in Europe this year with seven birdies, picking up shots on his last three holes.
Britain’s Ian Poulter fired a 68 in his bid to win a third Italian Open but Jose Maria Olazabal’s misery continued, the Spaniard shooting a 74 to leave himself in danger of missing his second successive cut on the European Tour.
