Walters, Cain set early pace at Open qualifying
BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2006 British Open International Final Qualifying | Round One | 31 Jan 2006
Victorian Euan Walters and Queenslander Marcus Cain shared the lead midway through the first round of British Open pre-qualifying at Kingston Heath today (Tuesday). Both shot one under par 71’s around the immaculately groomed 6352-metre layout, situated in the heart of Melbourne’s famous sandbelt of courses.
The scores were relatively high in the benign conditions although putting was made difficult in the occasional gusting wind with many of Kingston Heath’s greens exposed to the weather.
Cain, 33, a professional for 12 years and winner on the Australasian Tour six years ago, has never played in an Open Championship and said any player eligible to try for one of four spots at Royal Liverpool in July on offer at The Heath today and tomorrow was “crazy if he didn’t take the opportunity.”
“Four spots and only 53 players. You’ve got to be here,” said Cain, who had five birdies and four bogeys in his round. “I played well but anything can happen. Someone could come out and shoot 66 tomorrow and blow everyone away.”
Walters, 36, who played on the US Tour after winning the Jacob’s Creek Open in Adelaide two years ago, played in his first Open Championship at St Andrews last year. “The town was an amazing place and I was shaking walking down the main street for the first time with my golf clubs,” he said.
“Then I bogeyed the last hole at 10.15 on the Friday night to miss the cut by a shot. It was without doubt the worst day I’ve ever had on the golf course.”
Walters admitted to feeling guilty on the first tee today because he missed the opportunity to take his eldest child, Joshua, five to school on his first day.
Walters had three birdies in a row from the 14th. “Any time you get the chance to play Kingston Heath it’s a pleasure. To have the added bonus of playing for a spot in the best golf tournament is the world is fantastic. And you don’t have to spend $10,000 and send the family broke to get here,” he said.
Five players were on even par – just a shot behind the leaders.
Source – PGA Tour
