Goosen shows champion form in first round

Retief Goosen looked every inch the defending champion when he started the Smurfit European Open with a five-under-par 67 at the K Club near Dublin today.

It left him only one behind playing partner and fellow South African Trevor Immelman.

Goosen birdied three of his first four holes and then rolled in a 35-foot eagle putt at the 537-yard 18th – his ninth – to be two clear.

But he had to be content with nine successive pars on the front nine in between showers, while 25-year-old Immelman came home in 32, overtaking him with a closing 15-foot putt.

Joint third on three under were Swede Niclas Fasth and Ireland's Darren Clarke, playing his first event after a month at home helping his wife Heather in her battle with cancer and heart trouble.

Clarke, not making any predictions about how he would play, actually got to four under, but then found water on the short eighth, his 17th, and bogeyed.

Campbell, meanwhile, was only one over with three to play on his return to action following his magical first major title.

Four pars and a birdie were a good enough start, but then came three successive bogeys – two of them at par fives.

Padraig Harrington, a winner in America again on Sunday, Graeme McDowell, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup captains Ian Woosnam and Tom Lehman were among the later starters.

It was a bad day for Paul McGinley, who fired a six over 78 today.