Scottish Open:Paul McGinley scaled the dizzy heights and moved into a share of second after shooting 65 on the opening day of the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond where Greame McDowell is the defending champion.
McGinley's six-under par round was a welcome return to form for a player who is a lowly 132nd on the European Tour's Race to Dubai.
After setting off from the 10th, the 42-year-old quickly moved under par with a birdie three before adding another three holes later at the 13th. From there it was pars all the way to the turn for an outward half of 33.
His back nine was peppered with good iron play which was rewarded with a third birdie of the day at the second. The highpoint of the round came at the next when he eagled the 518-yard par five third to get to five-under.
He was briefly stopped in tracks with a bogey at the fifth, but a pair of birdies at his two closing holes was the perfect way to sign off for the day.
At six-under par McGinley formed a chasing pack alongside Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, England's Graeme Storm and Arizona-based Scottish native Martin Laird.
McGinley is back in next week's British Open after failing to qualify for Birkdale last year and he commented: “I’m comfortable in Scotland.
“I come up here to watch Celtic and see (coach) Bob Torrance and sometimes that has an effect. I get a lot of support - or half the population up here anyway!”
Australian Richard Green is the player they have to catch as the left-hander was in fine form after carding no less than six birdies, and eagle three at the 13th, and just one dropped shot at the 12th for his opening 64.
“It was just a great round of golf, solid, very much under control,” said Green. “That's a pretty good score. I was pretty relaxed and sort of took on the attitude I took on here last year, it seemed to work.
“I hit two great shots down 13, great drive, great three wood on the green and rolled in a putt that was breaking probably eight feet right to left from 35 feet away.”
Rory McIlroy was next of the 10-strong Irish contingent, four shits off the lead on three-under after today’s 68.
McIlroy also started at the 10th and was quickly into his stride with an eagle the 13th, his fourth. However that was the only deviation from par on his front nine. His only dropped shot of the day came at the first but he improved his score with birdies at the third and sixth.
McIlroy’s long-time mentor Darren Clarke found himself the right side of par and one shot behind his prodigy after an opening 69. Also at two-under was McIlroy’s Irish amateur team-mate and 3 Irish Open champion Shane Lowry.
This was a welcome start for the Clara rookie, who picked up three birdies and one bogey on his front nine before a further bogey on the 12th was cancelled out by his fourth birdie of the day on the 15th.
Defending champion McDowell and Gareth Maybin both shot one-under 70s, one better than Damien McGrane. Gary Murphy (72) was on the wrong side of par at one-over, while Peter Lawrie (73) and Michael (74) have much work to do if they are to be around for the weekend.
McIlroy was playing with Ian Poulter (69) and Lee Westwood, who was suffering from illness when he took to the tee. It showed immediately with a double-bogey six at the 1oth followed by a dropped shot at the par four 11th.
The Englishman carded two consecutive birdies from the 13th but dropped again at the 16th and the third before a birdie at the seventh contributed to a two-over-par 73.
“I was stupid to go out, especially with The Open next week,” said the former European number one, before going off to see a doctor.
“I had hayfever on Monday, and that turned into a chest infection. I had only four hours sleep on Tuesday and I can honestly say that last night was the first time in my life I tried to sleep and didn’t get a wink.
“I stood on the range and felt completely dizzy. I thought about not playing and probably shouldn’t have.
“I’m pissed off. I’ve been playing well, and everything feels in the right place.”
-additional reporting PA
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