Internationals excel at CA Championship
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 CA Championship | Round One | 12 Mar 2010
The opening round of the WGC CA Championship at the Blue Monster layout at Doral Resort and Spa in Miami has been completed and in extremely demanding, blustery conditions it is the international golfers who show the way.
South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel with an opening round of 67 leads by one over a group of four players, namely fellow South African Ernie Els, Australian Robert Allenby and Fijian Vijay Singh.
Only two Americans are inside the top ten at the completion of day one.
Singh actually held the lead on his own at 6 under before a double bogey at the horror final hole saw him slip back into what would eventually be a share of second position.
He was not alone dropping shots at the final hole however with each of those in second place dropping at least one shot at the notorious par four 18th.
Currently ranked 35th in the world, Schwartzel has already won twice on the European Tour this season and may have been a little embarrassed when asked by the Golf Channel’s on course commentator if he felt that 67 was on against this field and in these conditions. Maybe the on course commentator should be the one embarrassed for suggesting Schwartzel should in any way feel daunted by this field.
Robert Allenby appeared headed for a huge first round lead when he reached the 15th tee at 8 under and at that point he had gapped the field in what had been a stunning display. Unfortunately Allenby stumbled over the closing stages, dropping shots at each of the last four holes to finish with 68, still a great score but perhaps a case of what might have been.
John Senden birdied the last and is in a large group at 3 under 69 along with Francesco Molinari, who double bogeyed the last, Soren Hansen, Paul Casey, J.B. Holmes and Dustin Johnson.
The next best of the Australians were Geoff Ogilvy and Alistair Presnell who recorded rounds of even par 72, Adam Scott 74, Michael Sim 75 and Marc Leishman 78.
