Lawrie fires 68 to lead Irish challenge

PETER LAWRIE maintained his good start to his first full season on the European Tour with an opening round 68 in the Wales Open at Celtic Manor.

The Dubliner, 29, has already earned 246,857 this year and sits in 26th place on the Volvo Order of Merit.

And he will add considerably to that total in this £1.5 million (2.1m) event if he maintains his first day form, which leaves him three shots off the lead of Englishman Ian Poulter.

Lawrie leads the Irish challenge with Gary Murphy a shot behind him on three-under-par and Ulsterman Graeme McDowell a further shot behind having carded an opening 70.

Damien McGrane and Philip Walton finished the day on level par but Paul McGinley will have to work hard to avoid the cut today having posted a three-over 75.

Poulter, sporting red streaks in his hair to celebrate Arsenal's FA Cup triumph and match his Ferrari, roared into a share of the lead.

He shrugged off a bout of tonsillitis to card an opening 65 and equal the course record at Celtic Manor, a score later matched by Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern.

Englishman Jonathan Lomas was a shot behind in third, with no fewer than seven players a stroke further back on five under, including Scotland's Alastair Forsyth, Malcolm Mackenzie and former Ryder Cup Swede Jarmo Sandelin.

But Colin Montgomerie had to settle for a one-over-par 73 after missing from two feet for birdie on the 18th, the Scot's promise to play golf with a smile on his face thanks to his new caddie instantly put to the test.

The extrovert Poulter was on the verge of getting into his Ferrari, complete with personalised number plate, and heading home to Milton Keynes after being taken ill before Wednesday's pro-am.

But the 27-year-old former rookie of the year decided to battle on and had no reason to regret his choice as he led the chase for the 347,359 first prize at the 2010 Ryder Cup venue.

"It was maybe a blessing in disguise that I felt so lousy so I was not trying too hard and went out with no expectations," said Poulter. "To shoot 65 is a massive surprise.

"If I felt as bad today as I did when I walked off the course after the pro-am I would have pulled out.

"However, I did win in Morocco with tonsillitis as well (in 2001) but I want to get them out because I've had enough of this.

"I usually get it about five or six times a year but I always carry a stock of antibiotics with me and as soon as I get the slightest feeling of it I can take a five or six-day course to get rid of it."

Poulter had missed the halfway cut in five of his last six events as he works on changes to his swing under the guidance of coach David Leadbetter.

"You can't do that in a matter of weeks and I knew it was going to take a little time so hopefully this is the time," added Poulter, who was on standby to replace any injured players in last year's Ryder Cup after finishing 11th in the qualifying table.

"I needed to try and change a few things in my game to be more consistent. I've always missed a few greens even when I was playing great so if I can tighten up those bad shots then I'll have more chances and hopefully be winning more golf tournaments.

"With the other guys like Justin Rose and Paul Casey doing well, and knowing when I'm on top of my game I can beat them, it is frustrating, but I think it will be a good move in the long run.

"Obviously the Ryder Cup is next year and hopefully being a more consistent golfer will put me in the picture for that."

After saving par from 12 feet on the first, Poulter birdied three of the next four holes and also picked up a shot on the eighth to be out in 32.

Further birdies followed at the 10th and 11th which at 621 yards is only the longest hole on the course by a mere eight yards and his only bogey of the day came on the par-three 14th when his four-iron approach had a spectator diving for cover as it flew through the green.

"It would have been nice if he had chested it back onto the green but I don't think it actually hit him," joked Poulter.

Poulter would probably like to be as consistent as Paisley's Forsyth, but the 27-year-old Rangers fanatic was still unhappy despite not missing a cut in 10 events this season.

Forsyth, who won the Malaysian Open last year, has only had one top 10 in that period.

"It has been frustrating, particularly at the start of the year when I felt I was playing well week in, week out but I always seemed to have one bad day when nothing went my way," he said.