Soaring temperatures matched by sizzling rounds from Miller, Ratcliffe

SCOTLAND’S Mike Miller and Australia’s Noel Ratcliffe hold a one-shot lead over Denis O’Sullivan after the first round of the Tunisian Seniors Open at El Kantaoui.

Miller and Ratcliffe carded five-under-par rounds of 67 in temperatures approaching 90 degrees to go into the second round one shot ahead of Craig Defoy, Denis Durnian, O’Sullivan and Steve Stull.

Miller was the first to make his mark on a day in which 31 golfers out of a field of 51 equalled or bettered par.

The Scot went out in one under par after birdies at the second and the ninth and a bogey on the third and then stormed home in 32 after a further five birdies.

“That’s as good a round as I have had in a long time,” said the Scot.

“It was a great back nine and it would have been even better but for a shanked pitch at the 13th. That cost me a shot but I can’t really complain because I holed some good putts out there as well.”

Ratcliffe made a fast start to his round with birdies on both the 475-yard par-five first and the 191-yard par-three second. He recorded another birdie when he holed out from four feet at the 514-yard par-five seventh but then dropped his only shot of the day when he three-putted from 25 feet on the 438-yard par-four ninth.

Coming home, the Australian got to three under par when he hit an eight iron into nine feet for a birdie on the 404-yard 10th and then added two further birdies.

“I hit the ball really well,” said the Australian. “Over the last few weeks the odd loose tee shot has been costing me but I didn’t have any trouble today. It’s nice to make a score again.”

The quartet tied in third place arrived in Tunisia with altogether different goals

O’Sullivan three-putted from seven feet at the 18th to lose in the semi-final of last week’s Daily Telegraph/Sodexho Seniors Match Play Championship but bounced straight back with a flawless round that included two birdies and an eagle on the 514-yard seventh.

His only escape came when he carved a drive straight right on the 438 yard ninth but discovered it had hit a fence and bounced back into the middle of the fairway.

“That was a real break and it would have been even better if I had holed from eight feet for a birdie,” said the former Irish Amateur champion from Cork.