Sport

Hart takes early lead as Mickelson struggles again

US TOUR : Phil Mickelson struggled for form yet again as the FBR Open began in Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday.

Fri Feb 02 2007 - 00:00

US TOUR: Phil Mickelson struggled for form yet again as the FBR Open began in Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday.

While fellow American Dudley Hart set the early pace with a seven under par 64, Mickelson had no fewer than six bogeys in a one over 72 which left him way down the field.

The Masters champion has not had a top 10 finish since his nightmare finish at the US Open last June and has managed only 45th and 51st in his opening two starts of the season.

He has already fallen from third to fifth in the world rankings and is danger now of being overtaken by Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh as well.

READ MORE

Halfway through the first round Hart led by a shot from David Toms, who turned in a five under 30, but then cooled down.

Charles Howell, twice a runner-up already this year, posted a 67, while England's Justin Rose and Greg Owen shot 70 and 72 respectively.

Hart covered the first nine in 31 with three birdies in the first four holes and came home in 33 after dropping his only shot of the round at the 15th,

CHALLENGE TOUR: Alejandro Villavicencio of Guatemala shot a six-under-par 65, despite dropping a shot at the first hole, in the opening round of the Challenge Tour's Colombia Masters at the Bogota CC.

Villavicencio leads by two from Sebastian Fernandez and Rafael Gomez of Argentina.

Michael Hoey is best of the Irish on one-over-par 72 followed by Michael McGeady on two over 73. David Higgins was two-over-par after 12 holes while Damien Mooney and Stephen Browne were well down the field on 77 and 78 respectively.

LET TOUR: Australian Sarah Kemp fired a six- under-par 66 yesterday to grab a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Women's Australian Open.

Kemp is one stroke clear of countrywomen Nikki Campbell and Karrie Webb, who each posted 67s at The Royal Sydney Golf Club. Campbell was on fire early in the round as she shot seven-under 29 on the back nine, her opening nine, to match the Ladies European Tour's record for the lowest nine holes.

Yun Jye Wei is alone in fourth at four-under-par 68. Amateur Ashleigh Simon is one stroke further back at three-under and she shares fifth place with Hee Young Park and Amy Yang. Ireland's Rebecca Caokley fired an opening round of one-over-par 73.

SUNSHINE TOUR: Jean Hugo took advantage of an early start to fire a six-under-par 64 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Nashua Masters at the Wild Coast Sun CC yesterday.

With winds gusting up to 70 kms per hour in some corners and causing general havoc among the players in the afternoon field, Jean Hugo's flawless six-under-par 64 around the challenge Robert Trent Jones Jnr layout saw him lead by one from Scotland's Euan Little with veteran campaigners Desvonde Botes, Kevin Stone and Hendrik Buhrmann bracketed on 66. Ireland's Padraig Dooley is on two-over-par 72.