Memories of the European Ryder Cup success here eight months ago were quickly wiped out today in the opening round of the Benson & Hedges International Open.
Of the Ryder Cup heroes who went out early, only Bernhard Langermanaged to shoot under par - carding a one-under 71.
Langer blamed a cool putter for failure to go even lower.
"I had two-three putts. If I hadn't made those three-putts itwould have been a great round," said Langer, a two-time winner ofthe championship.
Ulsterman Darren Clarke appeared to spend more time in the waterthan on the fairway as he slumped to a five-over 77 and facedrisking being at home for the weekend.
"The course was tough today and I wasn't up to it," admitted theburly Clarke.
"The rough is penal and the fairways as tight as they have everbeen. I had a couple of bad swings and paid for it - I was in thewater three times. I can't seem to score well round here."
Dubliner Paul McGinley, who last September sank the winning puttto give Europe their historic win over the United States, was pairedwith his Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance and teammate Niclas Fasth.
It was not a thing of beauty, as the three had a combined scoreof 14-over par - brought about mainly by Torrance, who collapsed toa 10-over 72.
"Not a good day - two out-of-bounds and four three-putts in thefirst 10 holes and then I put it in the water twice more afterthat," explained Torrance as he relived his nightmare round. "Naeexcuses."
McGinley covered the outward nine in a respectable one-under butthree bogeys in four holes quickly had him going into reverse.
"Silly mistakes really," said the Dubliner. "Not hitting thefairway is lethal around here. This is a really tough course and itis an automatic one shot penalty if you hit it in the rough."
But if the Ryder Cup heroes were struggling, England'sunheralded David Dixon, in only his second full season on the tour,had got himself top of the leaderboard when he got to six-underafter 16 holes.
Two eagles allowed Dixon to leapfrog to the top, putting himthree shots clear of early clubhouse leader Tobias Dier.
The German, who was in the second group out, mixed five birdieswith two bogeys for his opening 69.
England's Justin Rose, the best of the young guns on the tour,kept himself firmly in contention with a level-par 72.
"Overall a decent start to the tournament. At least I didn'tshoot myself in the foot," said Rose.
AFP