Golf: Bland makes a tasty start

South African John Bland who has been runner-up three times in the alst four years in this £501,000 stg tournament has made a good start again.

He has finished at three-under-par 68 after beginning with an eagle three at the first hole. He was four-under after 17 but made bogey six at the last hole.

Bland shared the early lead at three-under with Denis Durnian, the Englishman ho leads the Order of Merit. Paul Leonard is first Irish player to finish and he carded a useful one-over-par 72.

Jack Nicklaus handed in a 70.

Out on the course, was one over at the turn and Cork amateur Peter Crowley was seven over after nine. Denis O’Sullivan was level after three holes.

FIRST ROUND SCORES (Par 71):

68 - J Bland (SA), D Durnian (Eng),

69 - B Huggett (Eng),

71 - P Diniz (Bra), P Leonard (Ire),

72 - D Ojala (USA), I Aoki (Jpn), ,

73 - J Bruner (USA), J Fourie (SA),

74 - J Traub (USA), V Somers (Aus), R Carrasco (USA), M Benbridge (Eng), E Itai (Jpn), H Twitty (USA),

75 - Peter Townsend (Eng),

76 - P Baldwin Am (USA),

77 - R Webster (Scot), P Ferranti (USA), M Miller (Scot), P Kaylor (USA),

78 - J Dolan 111 (USA), M Sanchez (Sp),

79 - J Carr (USA), A Kietzmann (SA),

80 - R Peters (Scot),

81 - J Dorrestein (Hol),