Darren Fichardt bounced back from the disappointment of losing a play-off last week to shoot a opening 67, five under par, to share first round lead with Jarrod Moseley in the Smurfit European Open.
Their opening rounds represent a new course record at The K Club which has been significantly modified and lengthened since last year.
Five days ago Fichardt was faced with a four foot putt to win the Murphy’s Irish Open at Fota Island at the first play-off hole but pulled his putt left and the title subsequently went to Dane Soren Hansen at the fourth extra-hole.
But after some words of advice from the likes of Thomas Bjorn, Mark McNulty and the current leader of the Volvo Order of Merit, Retief Goosen, Fichardt was able to put the disappointment behind him move forward.
“It hit me on Tuesday when I came to the course,” said Fichardt. “But I got a lot of help from Mark, Thomas and spoke to Retief this morning and they said it happens to everyone. People do miss those putts and it could have been the first hole of the tournament or the play-off, it doesn’t matter. The sooner I get up and back on the horse again the better.”
Fichardt made an inauspicious start with a bogey on his second hole but hit back immediately with successive birdies and never looked back. He came close to winning a Renault SX4 Sport Way on the par three eighth, awarded to the first professional to hole-in-one at that hole, when his seven iron tee shot hit the pin but finished three feet away to set up a third birdie of the round and an outward half of 33.
The South African, winner of last year’s Sao Paulo Brazil Open, then birdied the three par fives on the back nine to set the clubhouse target of five under par.
Moments later Moseley equalled that score continuing the good form he has enjoyed since shooting a course record equalling 63 in the final round of the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club.
The Australian, who burst on to the European Tour scene with victory in the 1999 Heineken Classic in Perth, his first European Tour event, picked up two birdies and a bogey on his front nine, the back nine on the card, but charged home with four birdies in his last seven holes to join Fichardt at the top of the leaderboard.
“The season was very slow in starting but Wentworth kicked that off,” he said. “I’ve really played well since then. I like a little break on the greens and these have more slopes and that suits me. I am enjoying getting better and if I can keep the progression going then I will give myself chances to win."
Three players lie a shot off the lead, Argentina’s Jorge Berendt, who shot a flawless 68, New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, who eagled the last to complete his 68, and Sweden’s Joakim Haegmann.
Meanwhile two of the pre-tournament favourites, Colin Montgomerie and Greg Norman, are well placed to mount a challenge after opening with rounds of 69, three under par.
The Smurfit European Open is one title that has so far eluded Montgomerie, a fact he intends to put right this week.
“That is a good start,” said the Scot. “This is one of the toughest courses we play all year on Tour. It is a very demanding test of golf.
“I am hitting the ball as well as I ever have but it is the putting that is key for me. If I putt well in Europe I am in contention. Simple as that. And I am putting well, I am in contention and I am in Europe.”
Norman, winner of the title in 1986, is playing the course for the first time and carded 69 with the help of five birdies and just the two dropped shots. “If you drive the ball round here you are in going to put yourself in a position to shoot a decent score and that is what I did today.”
