Stockholm syndrome as Swedes lead at Portugal Masters
Robert Karlsson and Johan Edfors were tied for the clubhouse lead on eight-under-par 64 at the Oceanico Victoria course in Vilamoura this afternoon, along with Holland's Maarten Lafeber.
And Alexander Noren made it a Swedish treble in the top four places at the opening round of the Portugal Masters, Noren lagging a stroke behind his countrymen to come home seven-under after a last gasp eagle at the 17th.
That wasn't enough to overhaul sparkling rounds from Karlsson or Edfors. Starting on the back nine, the 41-year-old Karlsson started with a birdie on the 10th and followed that up with three more before making the turn, where an additional four birdies - three on the spin between the 2nd and 4th - made for a flawless day's play.
Edfors' game was scarcely any less impressive, the 34-year-old not putting a foot wrong as he racked up three birdies in the opening nine before slotting away a further five on the back. Meanwhile, the Dutchman Lafeber was also in inspired form, even if he couldn't keep a few blemishes off the scorecard.
Starting on the back nine, Lafeber carded five birdies but also a bogey and a double bogey on the 18th; then the 35-year-old carded another six birdies on the front.
With several players yet to finish, England's David Horsey is currently fifth on six-under, while amongst those tied for sixth place include France's Raphael Jacquelin, Spain's Pablo Martin and Alvaro Quiros, England's Anthony Wall, David Howell and Gary Lockerbie, and Scotland's Stephen Gallacher and Paul Lawrie.
Ryder Cup heroes Ross Fisher and Edoardo Molinari remain in contention on four-under and two-under respectively, with Miguel Angel Jiménez on the same score as the older Molinari brother, while Ed's sibling Francesco should also make the cut on one-under-par.
But Darren Clarke, one of captain Colin Montgomerie's lieutenants at Celtic Manor earlier this month, appeared somewhat aggrieved with his performance, slamming his club onto his bag only to have it bounce out again just after he'd shot into the water at the 7th - a mistake that saw Clarke finish the par four hole with a quadruple bogey.
Neither Martin Kaymer nor last year's Portugal Masters champion Lee Westwood are contesting this competition. The two leading lights of European golf have been in the news recently, since either man could replace Tiger Woods at the top of the world standings by the end of the month.
But Kaymer is resting after a packed schedule, while Westwood is taking a precautionary time out in order to avoid a recurrence of his calf injury. Westwood plans to return at the WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai at the beginning of November, while Kaymer's next scheduled tournament is the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in two weeks, where the German can take the No. 1 spot.
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