Golf: Mixed luck for Cambo, Smail

HOYLAKE - New Zealanders Michael Campbell and David Smail had contrasting fortunes in the first round of the British Open at Royal Liverpool yesterday.

Former US Open champion Campbell fired a steady two-under 70 to leave himself well-placed in a tie for 33rd, while Japan-based Smail posted seven bogeys in a miserable 76.

Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell, a qualifier, scorched to a 66, with defending champion Tiger Woods lurking a shot back in a five-way tie for second.

After a 39-year wait for the Open to return to Royal Liverpool, overnight rain delayed play by 30 minutes.

Campbell recorded three birdies and said his inability to birdie more than one of the four par-fives prevented a better finish. "It was a quite satisfying round of golf though I didn't dominate the par-fives like I should have, as they are all reachable in two," Campbell said.

"But I am only four shots behind with three rounds to play and that is good."

Smail struggled from the outset when he had bogeys at the first two holes, finding a fairway bunker at the first.

He got back to level par with birdies at four and five and sandwiched a third birdie at the 10th, between bogeys at the ninth, 11th and 12th. Smail dropped further shots at the 14th and 17th. He will battle to make the cut.

"I started off average with a couple of bogeys ... and that is never nice," he said.

"I was in one of those horrible fairway bunkers at the first and it's pretty easy to make bogey from there. I three-putted the next, so it wasn't the best of starts.

"But I got it back pretty soon and just let it slip it again over the inward nine when I was looking forward to getting back on track.

"My short game just wasn't great and every time I missed a green I just didn't get it up and down.

"The putter was pretty average on the back nine and that really was the tale of my round."

- NZPA