Miguel Angel Jimenez in temporary lead, Luke Donald makes a neat start at the Open Championship
Miguel Angel Jimenez has moved into the top most section of the leaderboard for the opening round of 140th edition of the Open Championship. The Spaniard compiled a score of 2-under-par after the first nine holes to take a chance on $7,300,000
worth of prize money. The Open Champion is taking place at the par-70 Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Kent, England.
Jimenez, who had been sleeping since his triumph at Omega European Masters, is finally awake. On Thursday morning, he marched from the clubhouse to the scenic course and decided to tee off from the front. Encompassing accuracy with driving distance, the
veteran relished success in saving par at seven of the nine holes and carded birdies in the remaining two.
John Daly, Luke Donald, Stewart Cink, Simon Dyson and Ryan Moore sit on the fourth spot on the leaderboard with a score of one-under-par. 2008 US Open winner, Cink chose to tee off from the front and picked two birdies against a loss of one bogey. He has
stepped onto the back with a score of one-under-par and is now waiting for his turn to tee off.
Meanwhile, Donald has completed the opening five holes. The reigning world number one has one birdie in his bag and has 14 more holes to play. The Englishman stepped into the major with a bid to win on his home soil. He lifted his recent trophy at Inverness,
Scotland, where he won the Barclays Scottish Open.
Before coming to the venue, Donald was experiencing problems with driving distance, but after hitting balls at the Royal St George's, the Englishman believes that he has made a lot of improvement.
Donald was later speaking to reporters, “Yeah, it's quite funny. I'm probably an average-hitter, at least, and if you talk to my peers they will tell you that I hit the ball plenty far enough. I've actually gained a bit of distance, through working out,
and better positions in my swing. I'm not too worried, especially at an Open, because if it's not wet there's going to be a lot of run, so length is not so much of an issue.”
The player will be hoping to build on his good start and take an early advantage in the tournament.
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