Golf:The Ulster duo of Rory McIlroy and Michael Hoey both made fine starts to the BMW Masters in Shanghai today, but it was only good enough to leave them five shots off runaway first-round leader Jamie Donaldson.
McIlroy and Hoey both opened with five-under-par rounds of 67, but a course record of 10-under 62 from Irish Open champion Donaldson left him four shots clear of European Ryder Cup stars Peter Hanson and Francesco Molinari.
The 37-year-old Welshman, whose victory at Portrush in July was his first in 255 European Tour events, had 24 putts and bettered the Lake Malaren course record by one shot.
“I played great from the word go,” said Donaldson, who is ranked 51st in the world. “I just felt I was properly zoned in, just felt really relaxed all day and it was a very relaxed atmosphere, good fun playing with (Darren) Clarke as well.”
If he ends the year inside the top 50, Donaldson will receive an invitation to make a first appearance in the Masters at Augusta in April.
“I've only ever played three times in the States and they were all this year: the Wyndham Championship, the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship,” he said.
“It would be a great Christmas present to know that I will be playing in the Masters next year. It would be quite sensational but I need to stay in the present and just keep crossing each bridge as it comes.”
McIlroy complained of a headache in the later stages of his round and blamed it on the heavy pollution in Shanghai.
“I started to get a bit of a headache on the back nine and that’s because of all the factories and stuff around here, so we’re not breathing in the cleanest air,” said McIlroy, who was joined on five under by Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal.
Olazabal recorded his best first-day score in four years with a bogey-free round.
“It's great to shoot a low round and while the driver was the weakest link, the rest of the game was pretty sharp,” the Spaniard told reporters.
“Also I feel some freedom now the Ryder Cup is behind me. It’s been a tough year-and-a-half, a lot of things on my mind, decisions to make, meetings to attend. So I’m really glad that it’s over; now it’s fun time.”
Graeme McDowell opened with a three-under 69, while Portugal Masters champion Shane Lowry recovered from a triple-bogey eight on the par-five second hole to card a level-par opening round of 72.
Darren Clarke opened with a one-over 73, with fellow Ryder Cup vice-captain Paul McGinley a shot further back.
