TORONTO, 7 May 2005 — Sergio Garcia hit six birdies in his opening nine holes to charge into a two-shot lead with a six-under 66 after the first round of the $5.6 million Wachovia Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday.
Playing his first PGA Tour event since he missed the cut at the US Masters in the middle of April, Garcia showed no signs of rust at the Quail Hollow Golf Club.
Having played the back nine first, the 25-year-old Spaniard stumbled slightly at the turn with bogeys on the first and second but would make no more mistakes on a cool, windy day, erasing his two errors with a birdie at the fifth and ninth.
“It’s a tough course,” said Garcia. “The way it’s playing, as firm as it is, as quick as these greens are, and with this wind that we’re having, it’s just a tough course. It’s tough to hit the fairways, it’s tough to hit most of the greens.
“I was just very happy that I managed to do that pretty well today.”
Sweden’s Richard Johnson and Americans Patrick Sheehan, Kenny Perry and defending champion Joey Sindelar — who won in a playoff last year to end a 14-year title drought — shared second place on four-under 68.
Jim Furyk, Andrew Magee, Jeff Maggert and Swede Jesper Parnevik were a further stroke adrift on 69.
Tiger Woods, back in action for the first time since winning the Masters, carded a 70 after beginning his round at the 10th.
Woods, who picked up his fourth green jacket at Augusta, was two-over after five holes before rallying with birdies at the 15th, first and second.
The world No. 1 gained another stroke at the fifth but bogeyed the sixth and seventh before closing with two more birdies.
“I came out just a little bit on the rusty side,” Woods told reporters.
“I didn’t have the rhythm of the round. A big reason Woods was able to walk away with a broad smile and a trademark fist pump was a snaking 40-foot putt for birdie at the ninth.
Also on 70 was world No. 2 Vijay Singh, who mixed six birdies with four bogeys.
World No. 4 Phil Mickelson, another player back in action for the first time since the Masters, battled to a one-under 71 to join a large group that included Ireland’s Padraig Harrington.
Finch on Song in Italy
In Milan, British rookie Richard Finch hit a nine-under-par 63 to break the Castello di Tolcinasco course record yesterday and surge into an early three-stroke lead in the second round of the Italian Open.
Finch eagled the first and birdied all four par-threes in a pulsating round in which he stormed to 12-under-par 132 and beat the previous best score at the course by a stroke. Portuguese Open champion Paul Broadhurst and former Italian Open winner Gregory Havret shared second place three shots behind the 27-year-old Englishman, whose success forced him into a change of plans. Finch had been so dubious about needing to be around for the weekend, he had made plans to go to a friend’s wedding in Portugal on Saturday.
“I checked out of my hotel,” said Finch. Finch put in the groundwork for his first year on the European Tour with a successful amateur career and a year on the Challenge Tour before making his card in 10th place at the 2004 qualifying school. Shooting low is not strange to Finch, however, as he carded a 61 when qualifying for the 2002 British Amateur Championship.
His latest low round, though, saw him hit two new career highs. His 63 was his best European Tour score by six strokes and it was the first time he had made four twos in a round.
“I’ve never had a full-house before,” joked the tall blond Englishman, who is now aiming to climb rapidly from his current 165th place on the European money-list.
The two second-placed men have different reasons for being optimistic of taking the title this week.
In-form Broadhurst is hoping to capture his second win in three tournaments after going past a faltering Barry Lane in Portugal last month.
Sorenstam Stumbles in Opening Round at Michelob Ultra Open
In Williamsburg, Virginia, Annika Sorenstam posted a five-over 76 on Thursday and is nine strokes adrift of the leaders after the opening round of the $2.2 million LPGA Michelob Ultra Open.
The Swedish superstar struggled in her first tournament following a five-week layoff.
In her last event - the season’s first major - the 34-year-old Sorenstam tied Nancy Lopez’s record of five consecutive wins with an eight-shot victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship.
A win this week would give Sorenstam four wins in four starts this season and sole possession of the LPGA consecutive wins record. A victory also would put her past the halfway mark to breaking one of golf’s legendary records - Byron Nelson’s 11 consecutive wins set in 1945.
However, Sorenstam must first hope to make the cut before she can even think about co-leaders Silvia Cavalleri of Italy and fellow Swede Catrin Nilsmark.
“I thought I played pretty good today,” said Sorenstam, who is tied for 107th. “It just didn’t go my way at all. I felt I had some good shots, I think I drove it well. I could tell you I didn’t make any putts, it was just one of those days.”
Sorenstam, who has not missed a cut since the 2002 Women’s British Open, started on the back nine Thursday and was even through seven holes.
A bogey at No. 17 was the first in a stretch of four in six holes.
A double-bogey at No 7 partially was offset by a birdie at her closing hole.
However, all talk of a sixth straight title was usurped by conversation about making the cut.
“I thought about (six in a row) this morning, but after my first bogey I had more things to think about than that,” she said.
The 32-year-old Cavalleri never has finished higher than tied for third at an LPGA event, and her best showing this year was a tie for 15th at the Safeway International in March.
Cavalleri opened her round with a bogey but had an eagle at the 495-yard, par-5 seventh and added birdies at Nos. 8, 11 and 15.
“I know I am playing well,” Cavalleri said. “I am playing better and better, so I know I am a better player than I was last year. I kind of take whatever comes round by round. I am not afraid anymore.”
Even Cavalleri admitted being a bit stunned by Sorenstam’s round.
“In every round of golf, the ball can go anywhere,” Cavalleri said. “It is surprising because it is Annika. I am sure she will come out strong tomorrow.”
The 37-year-old Nilsmark has won just once - the 1999 Valley of the Stars Championship - and has missed the cut in four of five events this year. The only time she played on the weekend, she finished 73rd.
Nilsmark was 4-under through 11 holes but a two-putt from five feet at No. 13 cost her a stroke. The long-time Solheim Cup captain rebounded to roll home a 25-footer for birdie two holes later.
As someone who knows Sorenstam, Nilsmark was asked about the star’s struggles Thursday.
“She is human, thank God,” Nilsmark said.
