GOLF:NORTHERN IRELAND'S Michael Hoey eagled the last at St Andrews yesterday to move into a share of the lead on six under after his opening round of the Dunhill Links Championship, one ahead of fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell.
McDowell’s five-under-par 67 at Kingsbarns had left him as the leading Irish contender earlier this afternoon, one adrift of Spaniard Rafael Cabrero-Bello and South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Markus Brier and Hoey then also moved ahead of the former US Open champion having beaten the next best scores at St Andrews by two. One of those to finish on four under was Shane Lowry, who made a remarkable recovery after making the turn on two over.
After starting on the 10th, Lowry mixed two birdies with four bogeys, but picked up six shots on the way to recover with aplomb. Pádraig Harrington also ended his day on four under after a 68 at Kingsbarns.
Current US Open champion Rory McIlroy did something similar to Lowry having played the back nine in three over, thanks largely to a triple bogey at the 13th. He managed five birdies after the turn, however, to move alongside Peter Lawrie on two under, one ahead of Paul Cutler.
Gareth Maybin (Carnoustie), Darren Clarke and Damien McGrane (both Kingsbarns) all finised on one over, three ahead of Paul McGinley (Carnoustie).
McDowell enjoyed a brilliant season in 2010, winning the US Open at Pebble Beach and then securing the winning point in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, but has struggled to reproduce that form since. And the 32-year-old revealed he had turned to former coach Clive Tucker in an attempt to rediscover his best golf. “
At the US PGA Championship things came to a head,” McDowell said. “Myself and my caddie had to have a bit of a heart-to-heart as to what we were doing and what we needed to change.
“It was a bit of soul-searching and Clive was the answer, a guy that understands my game very well and was probably a lot to answer for why I played well in 2010. I’m not breaking my ties with Pete (Cowen), I still want him to coach me but I needed another opinion on things.
“I’ve got more clarity of thought with my game, which excites me. At one point in August I really wasn’t looking forward to a busy schedule at the end of the season.”
England’s Tom Lewis also returned a score of 68, but would have been sharing the lead if not for a double bogey seven on the ninth at Kingsbarns, his closing hole. He could follow in the footsteps of McIlroy by securing his card for next season this weekend.
Lewis shot to fame at the Open Championship at Royal St George’s this summer, shooting a 65 – the lowest round by an amateur in championship history – in the opening round.
He then helped Britain and Ireland win the Walker Cup earlier this month in Aberdeen before turning professional, finishing joint 10th on his debut in the paid ranks in Austria last week.
The 20-year-old has six more events this season to earn around €220,000 he will need to secure full playing rights in 2012.
World number one Luke Donald and compatriot Lee Westwood were three and four under respectively after their rounds at Kingsbarns.
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