England’s Simon Dyson tamed some monstrous, gusting winds to produce an excellent opening score of four under par 67 at the Quinta da Marinha Oitavos Golfe to lead the Estoril Open de Portugal.
With the wind blowing at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour during the day’s most intense period of gusts, the 156 man field found themselves in a battle against the elements, with only 13 players managing to break par.
Dyson was the best of the bunch with his 67, but a special mention has to be reserved for Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, who played in the afternoon matches that were battered constantly by the rampaging gusts on the Portuguese coast.
With matches teeing off from tees one and eight at Oitavos, Gallacher began his day on the eighth hole and dropped two shots before moving on to the back nine.
From there, the former dunhill links championship winner put on a masterful display of shot making in the treacherous conditions, making seven birdies and just one more bogey to haul himself up the leaderboard into a tie for second place alongside English rookie Ross McGowan, and South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen.
“After the start I made, two over after two, I just thought ‘hang in there’” said Gallacher.
“From then I played beautifully. It was all feel shots from 100 yards – some of them were five irons and some of them were a flick of the wrist with a wedge.
“I have played in worse conditions, but one thing you have to say is that they have done very well to keep the greens playable. The Tour have done well there. I have never done as well in wind like that. It was hard to keep your balance at points!”
Defending champion Paul Broadhurst, who is hoping to become only the sixth player in European Tour history to win the same event three years in a row this week, joined the group of 13 players who managed to break par with a two under par 69, and was joined by his countrymen Nick Dougherty and Barry Lane in a tie for fifth position.
“It was just so difficult out there – just a case of trying to survive and getting it round,” said Broadhurst, who won the 2005 Estoril Open de Portugal at Oitavos before adding his second title on the Algarve last season.
“Going for three in a row adds something to the week for me. I’m aware of what that could mean and I think it made me more determined out there today because I wanted to get off to a good start so that I have a chance of being in there on Sunday.”
Lane was equally satisfied to get off to such a good start, bearing in mind his experiences at Oitavos two years ago. Having played beautifully for 71 holes, the 46 year old was leading the tournament standing on the 18th tee on Sunday afternoon, but his only bad shot off the week resulted in him taking a quintuple bogey nine to hand Broadhurst the title.
“I think that may be the hardest conditions that I have ever played in, and possibly the best I have ever played,” said Lane of his opening 69. “It was very difficult. Thank goodness the greens haven’t been cut for days otherwise the balls would have been running off the greens.
“I’m definitely extra determined this week. I played fantastically two years ago and just hit one loose shot that happened to be on the last hole. But I think it’s a great golf course. I was very happy when I saw the tournament was coming back here – I was probably the first to enter!
“I’m happy with that today. I had a cist removed from my shoulder last Tuesday and I was hitting balls on Tuesday this week and I felt that my shoulder was wet. It had opened up at the top so it’s now got sticky plaster all over it to keep the scar together because it’s after a week, but it’s alright. It didn’t hurt at all today.”
