Dyson defies horror day
ENGLAND’S Simon Dyson has defied high winds over the heathland Oitavos course to lead after the first round of the Portuguese Open. Gusts up to 48km/h made putting a lottery, but last year’s double tour winner included a 20-foot eagle putt in a four-under 67 for a one-shot lead.
Countryman Stephen Gallacher, who bogeyed the last hole, shares second place with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Scotland rookie Ross McGowan.
On a leaderboard dominated by Britons, holder Paul Broadhurst, Barry Lane and Nick Dougherty are two shots off the pace.
Best of the Australians was David Bransdon with even-par 71.
Anticipating the wind would cause difficulty, European Tour officials had not cut the greens since Tuesday, but many of the players still suffered putting horrors.
”We all had a few putts that could have made us look stupid and if the greens had been cut we might not have been able to play,” said Dyson.
“It was a matter of keeping your head.”
Dyson, winner of the 2006 Indonesian and Dutch Opens, is targeting a place in the world’s top-50 and the European Tour’s top-20.
“With a little bit of luck I might have had two more wins already this season,” said Dyson, who is 75th in the world and 27th in Europe.
McGowan’s 68 included an eagle-two on the 348-yard 11th, where the 24-year-old used the strong wind to cut the corner before sinking a four-foot putt.
Broadhurst, looking for a third successive Portuguese Open title, said: “It’s been a nightmare out there on the greens”.
Lane, whose victory hopes were wrecked two years ago when he took a five-over-par nine on the 18th in the final round, said: “It (the course) owes me one”.
Among those suffering in the conditions was Briton Robert Rock, who ran up an 11 at the par-five 8th on the way to a 79.
There were also three nines, several eights and a glut of sevens.
Reuters