South Africa’s Darren Fichardt threatened to card the second 59 in DP World Tour historical past earlier than claiming a slender lead after day one of many Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship.
Fichardt fired two eagles and 9 birdies in an 11-under-par 61 at Kingsbarns, only a shot outdoors the course report shared by Branden Grace and Peter Uihlein.
Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked participant within the area at No 3 performed alongside his father Gerry within the pro-am occasion, and will solely handle a three-under 69 at Carnoustie which left him in a share of 73rd place.
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The McIlroys performed within the group instantly behind PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and governor of the Saudi Arabian Public Funding Fund (PIF) Yasir Al Rumayyan.
“It was a perfect day to play Carnoustie,” McIlroy mentioned. “I most likely did not fairly benefit from the situations the best way that I needed to or ought to have, however a strong spherical and one thing to attempt to construct upon tomorrow at Kingsbarns.
“It’s my dad’s 65th birthday on Saturday so to be able to stroll around the Old Course with him is going to be a pretty cool occasion.”
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Gerry McIlroy narrowly prevented turning the air blue when his drive discovered a bunker however rescued par with a improbable chip.
LIV Golf team-mates Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton carded the bottom rounds of the day with each hitting seven-under-par 65s.
“In the words of Tyrrell, just hit driver over every bunker into the rough, and lob wedge into the green,” Rahm mentioned when requested to clarify his tactical strategy following a 65.
“That’s basically what I did. Missed it in all the right spots. My first fairway on our front nine was the 17th and I was three under. It’s a bit of what you can do when it’s not an Open Championship set-up.
“The tough is a bit bit decrease so that you will be aggressive and have brief irons into the greens and that is what I did at present.”
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Piers Morgan hit a horrible putt on the 18th gap on the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship.
Fichardt had an opportunity to interrupt the 60 barrier when he lined his first 16 holes in 11 below thanks to 2 eagles and eight birdies, however three-putted the eighth – his seventeenth – earlier than making a birdie on the ninth.
“I started with a birdie on my first hole, the 10th, and then I hit a really poor three-putt the next hole,” Fichardt mentioned.
“I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s going to be a grind today’, and then made like a 100-foot putt for eagle on the next hole and then the train just kept on going.
“It was loopy. If I used to be on the inexperienced, it was both getting in or simply lacking. The putter was actually, actually scorching and the driving force was distinctive. So I used to be by no means actually in hassle.
“When I got it to 11 under I felt good. I started thinking to myself, is this a par-73 or 72 because I know Gracey shot 60 the one year. A little 59 on this track would have been nice, but just read the wind wrong on my second-to-last hole, the eighth hole. Unfortunately three-putted there.”
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PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf’s Yasir Al Rumayyan have been paired in opposition to one another on the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship.
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This week’s match is the primary of the DP World Tour season’s essential last 4 occasions earlier than the end-of-season Play-Offs within the United Arab Emirates in November.
Different sports activities stars in motion within the pro-am embrace Sir AP McCoy, Sir Ian Botham, Sir Steve Redgrave and Kelly Slater, whereas the world of movie is represented by Michael Douglas, Invoice Murray and Kathryn Newton.
Former England seamer James Anderson is making his second look on the occasion and is teamed up with countryman Sam Bairstow.
With the professionals and their newbie enjoying companions cut up throughout the three well-known programs for the opening three days’ play in Scotland, Sunday’s concluding spherical is performed at St Andrews with the sector lowered to the highest 60 execs, together with ties, and the main 20 groups.
Watch day two of Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship reside on Friday from noon on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stream the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and extra with NOW.
