Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez, who lost the 1994 Honda Open after the play-off with Robert Allenby at Gut Kaden, returned to the same Hamburg venue to claim the first round lead with a five under par 67 in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe.
The 36 year old from Malaga, a six-time winner on the European Tour, birdied four of the last six holes to move ahead of three players on four under par – Open champion Paul Lawrie, Roger Chapman of England and South African Retief Goosen.
Jiménez, whose game has moved up a notch or two in the past couple of years, made his Ryder Cup debut in 1999 as well as winning twice and being edged out by Tiger Woods in a play-off for the WGC-American Express Championship at Valderrama.
Now he aims to continue the ascent towards the highest echelons of golf by playing well in the four majors. He said: “I knew I had the game. It just needed hard work and the mentality. If you have the right cocktail and shake all the ingredients it will be good. I hope I have the mixture right now!
“I would like to have a year like last year, but I want to do well in the majors. I am focussed more on them and hope for good results.”
Lawrie prised five birdies from the Gut Kaden course which underwent substantial improvements last year. After a weekend’s solid work with coach Adam Hunter in Aberdeen, Lawrie now feels ready to get back into the groove after missing the cut at the Benson and Hedges International Open.
“Obviously it would be nice to win again” he said. “But I’m not putting pressure on myself. I am swinging the club well and putting well and with a good weekend I could be in there.”
Goosen came home in 32 with five birdies while Chapman made no mistakes in his round of 68, just a matter of weeks after he underwent laser surgery to correct his eyesight.
"I’ve worn glasses to play golf since 1982. I’m glad I did it and I wish I’d done it years ago. I have better than 20-20 vision now” explained the 41 year old, who claimed his first title in March by winning the Brazil 500 Years Rio de Janeiro Open.
Defending champion Tiger Woods and Swede Jesper Parnevik, the latest winner on the US PGA Tour last weekend in Dallas, both shot 70s despite jet-lag to maintain a healthy position after the first round.
Woods started with two bogeys but chipped in for an eagle at the 17th (his eighth) and was happy with his two under par score after an early start. Parnevik also made a slow start, going out in 37, but returning in 33 for a 70 which included a bogey at the last.
European No.1 Colin Montgomerie started each half with a birdie but threw in three bogeys in an opening round of 73.
