Broadhurst’s luck set to change as Baker’s runs out

FORMER Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst is in the hunt for his first European tour victory for nine years after adding a 65 to his opening 67 in the Madrid Open yesterday.

But the 39-year-old wishes Peter Baker, his best friend on the circuit, was still at Club de Campo battling for the title with him.

Instead, Baker crashed to a 77 and his failure to make the halfway cut means he has lost his card after 19 years on the circuit and will have to make his first-ever trip to the qualifying school next month.

Despite earnings of over £2.7 million, the English golfer dropped outside the tour’s top 40 career money-winners this season and has now failed to finish in the top 115 on the Order of Merit.

In February, Broadhurst was in a supermarket queue when someone recognised him and tapped him on the shoulder.

His six-year-old son Sam was with him and told the man: “My dad used to be a really good golfer.”

Seven birdies yesterday showed that he still is and they took him onto the 10 under par mark of 132.

He is a shot ahead of Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, South African Darren Fichardt and Swede Johan Edfors.

Tournament favourite Jimenez, four over par after six holes of his first round, produced a spectacular 63, while Fichardt would have shared top spot but for a closing three-putt bogey and Edfors had a 67 as he continued his bid for the first or second place he needs to keep his card.

Graeme McDowell, sixth on the Order of Merit and loser of a play-off to Stephen Gallacher in the Dunhill links championship at St Andrews only two weeks ago, returned a 64 to be two back.

That round was seven better than McDowell’s playing partner Colin Montgomerie, who remained stuck on only three under.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson, in only his second event back after nearly six months out with back trouble, is only three behind Broadhurst following a 67.