Golf: Gossett fires to lead Western Open

LEMONT - David Gossett took advantage of calm conditions to cram nine birdies into a pace-setting seven-under-par 65 in the first round of the US$4 million ($8.27 million) Western Open at the Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Illinois.

Severe thunderstorms later in the day interrupted play for more than three hours and 50 players were still on the course when darkness caused their rounds to be suspended.

Gossett, a 23-year-old from Phoenix, played in the New Zealand Open at The Grange last year and won the John Deere Classic last July. He ended the day one stroke ahead of Bob Estes and two in front of John Cook, Jonathan Byrd, Davis Love and Scott Verplank.

Lee Porter, Pete Jordan, Kenny Perry, Franklin Langham, Britain's Luke Donald and Bradley Hughes of Australia shared seventh position on 68.

Gossett hit 12 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens in regulation in a round that included 28 putts.

All five New Zealanders on the US PGA Tour are in the field.

Phil Tataurangi was stuck out on the course at five over through 12 holes.

Grant Waite shot a good two-under 70, and Frank Nobilo and Craig Perks were at one-under. But Michael Long had a disastrous 76.

* In Dublin, Michael Campbell shot a four-under par 68 to finish the first day of the European Open just one shot off the pace.

New Zealand's top-ranked golfer returned to competition after nearly a month's break to eagle his closing hole on the long K Club course near Dublin to tie for third place.

Campbell and his fellow Australasian Tour players revelled in miserable conditions as rain plagued the event.

Perth's Jarrod Moseley shared the lead, at five under par, with Campbell, South Africa's Darren Fichardt, Argentina's Jorge Berendt and Sweden's Joakim Haeggman next.

Campbell missed the halfway cut in his two most recent events, the Buick Classic and the US Open, but he quickly put that disappointment behind him with four birdies and his last-hole eagle, when he holed a difficult chip-in from the rough.

It appeared to be the type of springboard the world's 29th-ranked player needed to launch into the British Open in two weeks. Sporting a green shirt and a green cap he was well supported by the gallery.

"This tournament is one of the big four you want to win in Europe outside the British Open [the others being the Volvo PGA, the Deutsche Bank in Germany and the Volvo Masters in Spain]," said Campbell.

"It could have been a lot lower today because I did leave a few putts just inches short over the first couple of holes."

There was little joy for other New Zealanders in the field. Greg Turner, also with an eagle at the 18th, and Stephen Scahill recorded 74s and Gareth Paddison a 78, which included three double bogeys, three bogeys and three birdies.

* Shani Waugh, Juli Inkster and Laura Diaz all shot three-under-par 67s to share the first-round lead at the US Women's Open in Hutchinson, Kansas, yesterday, but defending champion Karrie Webb ballooned to a nine-over 79.

On a day when only six players broke par, Australian Waugh and American pair Inkster and Diaz were a stroke clear of Kim Saiki of the US, Catriona Matthew of Britain and Canada's Lorie Kane, who were tied for fifth place on 69.

New Zealand's Lynette Brooky shot a three-over 73.

World No 1 Annika Sorenstam of Sweden was among a group of nine players on level-par 70 at the Prairie Dunes Country Club course.

Australian Webb endured a nightmare start in her bid to become the first player to win the event three years in a row.

- AGENCIES