Golf: Garcia one off lead after flawless 67
Sergio Garcia justified his position as pre-tournament favourite in the first round of the Canarias Open de Espana.
Garcia carded an error-free five-under-par 67 to move ominously within a shot of the early pace set by Denmark’s Soren Hansen and former Ryder Cup player David Gilford.
Hansen established the course record for the El Cortijo Club de Campo layout with his 66, Garcia joining Mansfield’s Greg Owen and Germany’s Marcel Siem in joint third.
The 22-year-old Spaniard is embroiled in a row with tournament promoter Seve Ballesteros over his decision not to play in last week’s Seve Trophy in Ireland.
But he appeared to have put that behind him as he produced some sparkling golf for the gallery following his match with five birdies and no dropped shots.
Several other chances went narrowly wide, and Garcia, making an audacious bid to top the order of merit on both sides of the Atlantic, commented: ‘‘It was a very comfortable 67. I played really well.
‘‘I hit a lot of great shots but unfortunately missed about four putts and that makes it a little bit disappointing. But other than that it was great.
‘‘The game is right on target and I’m looking forward to keep playing this way. I managed to give myself a lot of chances and that’s what you have to do. I did not miss a green today and that was very good.’’
Garcia was slightly surprised to be within one of the lead on a day when the absence of the usual strong wind made scoring conditions easier.
Hansen meanwhile had seven birdies and just one bogey and feels he has benefited hugely from partnering Thomas Bjorn for Denmark in last year’s World Cup.
The Danish pair eventually lost out to the South African duo of Retief Goosen and Ernie Els in a four-team play-off in Japan which also included the New Zealand team of Michael Campbell and David Smail and the American team of Tiger Woods and David Duval.
‘‘That was a great experience and I learned a lot from that,’’ said Hansen, who finished 37th on the Order of Merit last year but is seeking his first tour title.
‘‘Thomas had been taking good care of me before that, and after as well, and walking down the fairway with the best players in the world was good for me and proved that maybe my game is not that far away from being excellent.
‘‘Overall my goal is to move up the world ranking, I think it is about time. A first tournament win would be a bonus definitely.’’
The man who Hansen lost out to in Japan, US Open champion Goosen, did not have such a good day however and had to settle for a one-over-par 73.
The South African, the man Garcia is trying to replace as European number one, said: ‘‘I putted pretty badly, I didn’t make one putt today, and tee to green wasn’t much better.
‘‘I was in the water twice which didn’t help but I probably could have still shot 69 if I had made a few putts.’’
Seve Ballesteros, who beat rival captain Colin Montgomerie in the singles for the second time in succession in Druid’s Glen last week, again verged from the sublime to the ridiculous in his opening 75.
The 45-year-old, who only hit one fairway against Montgomerie but somehow conjured up victory on the last green, had an eagle, two birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey seven on his closing hole.
