Sparkling 65 puts Ebihara on top

It was described by Delroy Cambridge as a simple thought designed to keep him focused on his work. "For me, golf always has to be played for money," said the tall Jamaican after an opening 67 had left him two strokes off the lead in the £250,000 AIB Irish Seniors Open at Powerscourt yesterday.

He will need every little edge in view of the standard set by Japan's Seiji Ebihara, who finished with three successive birdies for a sparkling 65. As one of the later finishers, Ebihara went to the top of the leaderboard ahead of Scotland's Norman Wood, a Ryder Cup representative at Laurel Valley in 1975.

Ebihara, who was the 1985 winner of the Chunichi Crowns Tournament captured recently by Darren Clarke, produced exemplary form in a bogey-free round. But he will not have slept too comfortably, given the threat posed by pre-tournament favourite Noel Ratcliffe, who also finished with three birdies for a 69.

Meanwhile, it marked an inauspicious return to action for Tony Jacklin, who announced his retirement from competitive golf in August 1999. Playing with Ratcliffe and Denis O'Sullivan, he three-putted three times en route to a 74. But enduring skills were also evident in some delightful ball-striking.

Cambridge, who represented Jamaica in the World Cup in 1996 and 1998, is making his first appearance in this country. And he has raised quite a few eyebrows with drives of more than 300 yards, in ideal conditions. "Man, when I was Tiger's age, the ball went forever," he said with a quiet smile.

Indicative of his power-play were a sandwedge approach to six feet for a birdie at the 419yard seventh and a five-wood second shot of 240 yards onto the green at the 516-yard 12th. And all the while, his broomhandle putter was used to fine effect.

"My long-term objective is to get on the American tour and I'm here to win," he added. "The trophy and a cheque; now that's the perfect combination."

Eddie Polland heads the 14 Irish challengers after a 70 which contained three birdies and a lone bogey at the 15th. Three strokes further back came O'Sullivan after a round of 73, which started ominously with a bogey.

"It's a beautiful day, ideal for scoring, yet I just didn't feel with-it for some reason," he said. "But it's not over yet. I reckon two 66s would put me right back in it. I think 10 under may be good enough to win."

Wood, who can look back on victories in the Jamaican Open and the Italian Open while a "regular" tour player, has faced a continuing struggle since joining senior ranks at the start of 1997. In fact, his highest finish has been third place in the Affarer Seniors Open of that year.

"Sure, it's been a struggle," Wood conceded. "But I'm very heartened by the way I putted today, especially on difficult greens and after such a poor start."

As it happened, he used the blade only 28 times to card nine birdies, which more than compensated for two opening bogeys, the product of slack approach play. Grace, a 53-year-old Texan who won three times in Europe last season, shared Cambridge's long-term objective of US Seniors status. In fact he won the Texas Senior Open in 1998, after an impressive amateur career, and then tried his luck in Europe a year later.

A return of five birdies and 13 pars yesterday reflected tidy, all-round play. He missed only one fairway and hit 15 greens in regulation. "I like the course, especially the test it offers from the tee," he said.