Evans off to a fine start

Gary Evans today made a spectacular start to the first round of 133rd British Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Evans, who missed out on a play-off for the 2002 Open at Muirfield by a shot after losing a ball on the 17th hole of the final round, holed his second shot to the 560-yard par five fourth hole.

The 35-year-old from Worthing holed out with a five iron from 226 yards for the first albatross since Greg Owen’s on the 11th in the third round at Lytham in 2001.

That catapulted Evans into the lead but a bogey on the next par five, at 601 yards the longest hole on the British Open rota, saw him reach the turn in 34, two under par.

By then former champion David Duval was already on his way home, the 2001 winner pulling out citing a sprained back muscle for his withdrawal before the start of his first round. His place was taken by fifth reserve David Griffiths from Hertfordshire.

The past five British Opens at Troon had all been won by Americans and the early lead was held by two more in Rich Beem and Shaun Micheel, as well as Carolina-based Swede Carl Pettersson.

Beem and Micheel, the last two winners of the USPGA Championship, were three under par after seven and six holes respectively – Beem firing an eagle on the sixth – while Pettersson had birdied the first three holes.

It is not the first time Pettersson has been in such a position, he shared the lead after an opening 67 at Muirfield two years ago, but he would not make the Ryder Cup team even if he won on Sunday as he has refused to commit himself to the 11 events necessary to be a European Tour member.

The early starters – play began at 6.30am – were looking to take advantage of the calm conditions and Davis Love birdied the first after driving into a greenside bunker on the 370-yard par four while the group ahead were still on the green.

The former USPGA champion then splashed out to four feet despite having to play his second shot with one leg in the sand and his knee on the bank of the bunker, but after another birdie on the third dropped a shot on the fifth.

Veteran Tom Weiskopf was not so fortunate on the opening hole however, the 61-year-old American, winner over the same course in 1973, taking four shots to escape from a greenside bunker to run up a quadruple bogey eight.

Pre-tournament favourite Ernie Els was off to a quiet start.

The South African, who would overtake Tiger Woods as world number one if he won a second British Open title and the American finished lower than 17th, parred the first three holes while playing partner and 1997 winner Justin Leonard picked up birdies at the first and second.

Woods was among the later starters alongside Lee Westwood and Greg Norman, while Colin Montgomerie, a member of the course where his father James was secretary until 1997, was assured of massive home support for his quest for a maiden major title when he teed off alongside Ryder Cup team-mate Thomas Bjorn and American Frank Lickliter shortly before 9am.