Price thankful for short day's work

Ryder Cup hero Phillip Price thanked his lucky stars today – that he had to play only eight holes of golf.

The Welshman, suffering from a severe stomach upset, completed a first-round 73 in the Qatar Masters and then quickly retreated to his hotel.

Half the field were facing the prospect of playing 36 holes to make up for lost time after yesterday’s sandstorm, which prevented any action after 10am.

Price said: “If I’d been on that side of the draw I don’t think I could have managed it. I reckon I would have had to pull out.

“But I only had eight holes and luckily the toilets were in the right places. I had a Chinese meal last night and from midnight on I was up every hour.”

Things were still so bad on the course that by his final green – which he birdied with a 25-foot putt – Price was asking his caddie to pick the ball out of the hole. And after handing in his scorecard he ran off into the clubhouse.

Joint leaders following four-under-par rounds of 68 were Luton’s Phil Golding and South African James Kingston.

Both completed their day’s work before 8am prior to the Shamal wind picking up any real strength again.

“We all need a bit of luck,” admitted Golding, who closed with birdie putts of 10 and five feet. “There have been plenty of times when it’s worked the other way, so you have to take advantage.

“When we stopped yesterday I’d just bogeyed the fourth (his 13th) and in the rough off the tee at the fifth. The course was playing so difficult, but this morning I was able to save par there and I finished nicely.”

Last November 40-year-old Golding set an unwanted European Tour record when he attended his 16th qualifying school.

But with so many of the bigger names staying away this week as the countdown to possible war with Iraq continues, the €1.3m event offers a huge opportunity for him to avoid a 17th trip.

Kingston had four holes to go when play resumed at 6.30am and hit a nine-iron to six feet on the 17th.

Ian Woosnam had to settle for a 73 like Price and said: “I feel shattered. I’ve been up at 5am two days in a row now and will have to do the same tomorrow.

“I’m hitting the ball fine, but my putting was not very good. I can’t see the grain on the greens and I’m struggling to get the right speed using the long putter.”

Tournament favourite Padraig Harrington, who did not even get to tee off yesterday, was among those having to play 36 holes – and the first of them did not augur well. He bogeyed the 589-yard first to be one over with Woosnam and Price.

Ryder Cup team-mate and fellow Dubliner Paul McGinley, glad for a day off yesterday after being diagnosed with pneumonia at the start of the week, opened with two pars.