Lucky Brier happy with China start

Austrian Markus Brier admitted he rode his luck at times but still felt he was good value for his one-stroke lead following the opening round at the Volvo China Open.

Brier, who won the tournament in 2007, carded a five-under-par 67 and holds a narrow advantage over England’s Nick Dougherty and Australian David McKenzie, with Simon Dyson and Chapchai Nirat a shot further back on three under.

The 40-year-old started strongly at Beijing CBD International GC, birdieing the 10th and 11th and overcoming a dropped shot at the 12th with another birdie at the 13th.

He picked up another shot at the 15th to reach the turn in 34 before a run of three consecutive birdies that began at the second hole and included a chip-in at the third, saw the veteran assume the lead.

“I was a bit lucky on three and four, three I chipped in and four I hit it in the rough but got a good lie and made birdie from there,” Brier admitted.

“I got good breaks today and at the end, missed a few fairways that made it tough for myself but I felt comfortable and never hit it far away – two metres, three metres in the rough – so you don’t get into too much trouble.

“I started quite well off the tee, hit a lot of early fairways and that gives you a lot of chances.

“I hit some good irons, the putter was really hot as well so that’s a good combination. I made all the crucial par saves as well and that kept the round alive.”

His day ended on a disappointing note, though, when he three-putted the ninth to drop back to five-under.

“It is a tricky pin back left on the ninth hole but it didn’t look so slopey,” he added.

“In the end I was I think 12, 13 metres away and three-putted but the other guys had a four and a five putt.

“Thongchai (Jaidee) missed from two feet and one-and-a-half feet or something. We had a good look at it afterwards, maybe there’s a little slope there, but I’ve never seen anything like that, not in one group.”

McKenzie surged up the leaderboard following an eagle at the 377-yard, par-four fifth when he holed his second shot from 102 yards.

Two further birdies followed to haul the Australian firmly in contention at four under.

“I have felt like I’m swinging the club well and the technique’s good but I just haven’t been getting the scores that I feel I should for the way I’ve been hitting it,” McKenzie said.

“So I’m looking forward to playing well here this week. I kept it on the fairway and I didn’t hit it in the rough. I had it in play all day which makes it a lot easier to score.”

Dyson was also pleased with a solid 69 that featured four birdies and a bogey in his first eight holes, although he had birdie opportunities over his closing three holes that the 31-year-old could not convert.

“I played nicely,” he said. “With my bogey, I hit a good shot, got a little bit unlucky and three-putted it, it was a nasty first putt. But I’m pleased with that.

“I had quite a few good chances out there, hit some good putts but they just didn’t want to drop. I chipped in at 17, which was my eighth and parred the next 10. Got a bit scrappy on one, two and three, made three really good up-and downs and played lovely after that, so I’m really pleased.”

Dyson also revealed his recent neck injury had flared up again prior to the tournament.

“Last night I was struggling but I put a bit of ice on it last night, had a bit of physio on it this morning, strapped it up and it held out nicely,” he added.

“Hopefully it’ll stay like that for the next three days.”