Andrew Oldcorn exhibited his Volvo PGA Championship winning form at the Marriott Forest of Arden to move into a tie for the lead with young Australian Adam Scott after the first round of the Compass Group English Open.
The pair both took advantage of the calmer morning conditions on the Warwickshire course to post five under par 67s and move one shot clear of Italian Marco Bernardini.
Ironically, Oldcorn looked far from leader material when, after having started at the tenth hole, an error-strewn front nine saw him reach the turn in one over par 37. But it was a different story turning for home on the front nine as the 41 year old Scot launched his own personal birdie blitz.
Oldcorn birdied six holes in a row from the third to cover the nine hole stretch in 30 and included in that a fortuitous chip-in at the short fifth where his thinned pitch shot struck the flag at pace before dropping into the hole.
Elsewhere in the run however it was accurate iron play and precision putting that racked up the red figures, the best shot of the day coming at the 177 yard eighth hole where, facing a troublesome right to left wind, the Scot fired a majestic four-iron to six feet before holing out.
“I very pleased obviously,” said Oldcorn. “It was a bit up and down to start with but on the way home I really felt my swing and my rhythm were back. I’m never too upset when the wind is about because if my game is on, I can hit a lot of different shots and I did that today.”
Oldcorn comfortably outshone his playing partners, the 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie and the 2000 Volvo Order of Merit winner Lee Westwood who carded 70 and 77 respectively, and admitted he was thoroughly enjoying being regarded as one of the top players on The European Tour after his win at Wentworth.
“I feel really comfortable with where I am now and I’m enjoying it, I really am,” said Oldcorn. “It has taken a whole lot of tension out of my golf game, there is not so much pressure involved in thinking about other things. I feel very comfortable in the company I will probably be keeping over the next few weeks with my draws, and I now think people are treating me with a bit of respect that I deserve from that victory.”
Fellow pacesetter Scott, like Oldcorn, started at the tenth but unlike Oldcorn started in style, birdieing three of the first four holes, four in a row being denied only by a missed four footer at the 11th.
Such a missed chance did not come as a surprise to the winner of the Alfred Dunhill Championship on The European Tour at Houghton in January, for inconsistency on the greens has been responsible for a dip in his form in recent weeks.
“I think if you look at the stats I finished last in putting at the Deutsche Bank and close to last at Woburn so that’s where the problem is. I made one long putt today (50 feet for birdie on the sixth) but apart from that, I can’t remember when I last holed one of that length.
“It’s technical so I just have to work on my technique a bit. I speak to Butch Harmon and I get to speak to Tiger Woods about my putting a lot. They all tell me the same thing – I swing with my putter head a bit shut so I’ll just need to work a bit harder on that.”
One stroke behind the leading duo, Italian Marco Bernardini opened up with exactly the same 68 he managed in last week’s Victor Chandler British Masters at Woburn. There, however, the 23 year fell away to 68th place but admitted he was more confident about his chances this week.
“I feel good with my game and I putted very well today as well,” he said. “One thing that really pleased me was the fact I was patient on the course and I got my reward. Hopefully I can be a bit more consistent this week and not do the same as at Woburn – I would take four 68s now.”
As with Oldcorn and Scott, Bernardini started at the tenth hole and included four birdies in his sterling effort along with a spectacular eagle three at the 511 yard 17th hole, where he holed from nine feet after his three wood approach shot found the centre of the green.
The afternoon starters certainly had the worst of the conditions as the chill wind freshened and, as a result, only two players from the 77 who teed off after midday broke par, Italy’s Massimo Scarpa and South African Hennie Otto.
One of the players who didn’t was defending champion Darren Clarke, aiming for a record breaking third successive victory, but who got his hat-trick quest off and running with a two over par 74.
“Yes it was difficult but I didn’t hit it that badly but putted shockingly badly,” said Clarke. “The ball wasn’t moving on the greens but with their pace and the wind as gusty as it was, it was very difficult to get the line right.”
Elsewhere the shot of the day was struck by Van Phillips, who recorded his first hole in one as a professional when he aced the 209 yard 18th hole with a crisply struck four iron.
In recognition of his achievement, the 29 year old Englishman was given a magnum of champagne by sponsors Compass Group as well as a week’s holiday for two at the Marriott Hotel in Marbella, courtesy of the tournament hosts.
