Open de Espana first round Wrap-up Part-1
The surprise winner of the 2003 PGA Championship Shaun Micheel soared to the top of the leaderboard on the opening day of the star-studded Reale Seguros Open de España with a blistering knock of five-under, 67.
Micheel, who has been battering form vows and severe medical conditions is hoping to rejuvenate his rusty career with a win on Sunday and will have to go through nerve-wrecking competition in the following days of the event.
He is now one shot ahead of the Jorge Campillo and the English pair of Robert Rock and Danny Willett.
Micheel said, “I didn’t expect this. Yesterday in the pro-am I didn't make any birdies, and it wasn't for lack of effort, I can assure you”.
The 43-year-old American who made the headlines some nine years ago at Oak Hill Country Club, fell in for a serious medical condition in the following years when doctors told him that his Testosterone levels have fallen to that of a 70-years-old.
Micheel underwent treatment for the same in proceeding years.
He returned to mainstream golf in 2006 to finish runners up at the PGA Championship behind Tiger Woods and fell one stroke short of lifting his second PGA Championship title.
A self-taught golfer, Micheel struggled earlier in his career trying to retain his playing status on the PGA Tour.
He went into the 2003 PGA Championship and came out triumphant. He is considered as one of the biggest underdogs to have landed the PGA Championship title.
Micheel opened up with a birdie-bogey-birdie on the opening holes at the scenic Reale Club de Golf de Sevilla and carded two consecutive birdies on fifth and sixth.
He fell for a bogey at par-four, 8th and made the turn with yet another birdie on the ninth.
Opening up his back nine with level-par opening holes, he carded three more birdies towards the end of the round and dropped another shot at the closing hole.
In total he pulled in eight birdies and dropped three shots through the 18-hole stretch.
Born in Orlando, Florida, Micheel attended Christian Brothers High School in Memphis and Indiana University before turning professional in the year 1992.
to be continued...
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