GOLF/World Cup: Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley trail leaders Canada by five shots after the first round of golf's World Cup in Mexico yesterday.
The Irish pair finished on eight under par 64, with the Canadians Mike Weir and Ian Leggatt the first to break 60 when Leggatt birdied the 18th to gave them a one-stroke lead over Australians Craig Parry and Adam Scott.
Out in four under par 32 after birdies at the first, second, seventh and eighth, the former winners hit three more birdies in-a-row from the 10th and their eighth of the day came with a two on the 17th.
Memories of Jean Van de Velde in the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie came flooding back as France had a last-hole farce.
Thomas Levet and partner Raphael Jacquelin had raced to 13 under par and needed a closing par-four for a 59 and the joint lead with Canada, but what followed was a comedy of errors and in the end Levet's double-bogey six had go on their card.
First Jacquelin hooked his drive into the hazard. Then Levet put his second shot in. Dropping under penalty, Jacquelin then hit another ball into the water - but the drama then turned into a nightmare.
Levet dropped on the bank by the green, but because of the slope he had to place his ball. As he then went for a club to play his fourth shot the ball started moving again and fell back into the hazard.
Referee John Paramor was called at that point and told the French pair what they suspected - that it was another penalty. He did at least then get down in two more to spare himself a seven - the score Van de Velde took on the last hole of the British Open three years ago when three strokes clear.
Leading first round scores: 59 Canada; 60 - Australia, 61- France, Korea, 62 - Sweden, 63 - Fiji, Denmark, Wales, Trinidad and Tobago, Scotland, Switzerland, 64 - Ireland (P Harrington, P McGinley), Argentina, Japan.
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