Ballesteros got it wrong - Langer

GERMAN Bernhard Langer yesterday joined the chorus of dissent over Seve Ballesteros's re design of the 17th hole at Spain's Valderrama golf course.

Langer, who shot five under par 66 to lie three strokes behind New Zealand's Paul Devenport after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Masters in Hong Kong, said the par five 17th was far from perfect.

He echoed the views of Scotland's European Order of Merit winner Colin Montgomerie, who described the hole as hideous, and said that the course, the venue for the Ryder Cup next year, had become a lottery because of it.

The offending hole features a shallow green which slopes back into a water hazard. Golfers hitting the front edge of the green, which is not protected by rough, would likely see their ball roll back into the water.

"I would not have designed it that way. It's really not asked for," Langer said. "It's a matter of what is fair, what's a good hole and what's a bad hole."

The German said he had spoken to Ballesteros about the hole, but his comments fell on deaf ears.

I spoke to him about it the other day, but he likes it for obvious reasons. He doesn't listen to anybody."

In yesterday's play, Devenport, a 30 year old Kiwi, shot eight birdies in his bogey free round for an eight under par 63.

Montgomerie, still suffering from jet lag and struggling with the heat, is six shots off the lead after a two under par 69. Ballesteros and South African Ernie Els finished on level par 71, while the defending champion, Michael Campbell, scored a twoover par 73.