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| | Friday, 31 May, 2002, 02:19 GMT 03:19 UK Langham takes Kemper lead Langham has yet to win on the PGA Tour Franklin Langham outshone some of golf's big guns to lead after the first round of the Kemper Open. The 34-year-old from Georgia is seeking his first PGA Tour title and had the best round of his career at Avenel in Maryland with an eight-under-par 63. It gives him a two stroke lead over Bob Estes with four players, including Chris DiMarco, another shot further back. Langham has had to battle back after undergoing major elbow surgery last year which needed physiotherapy from October to the end of Februrary. He said his elbow muscles got so small during his layoff that he could see all the bones sticking out.
"There were times I was scared," Langham admitted. "I never got to the point where I said I'm not playing again, but I was definitely scared. "It hurt so bad from the stuff I did and I wondered how was I ever going to grip a club again. But I was determined to do it." Langham had eight birdies in his round, including five in a row and no bogeys. He just missed a birdie putt on the final hole which would have set a course record. "It was one of those days you dream about," Langham said after his round.
"You really appreciate days like this when everything seems to be clicking on all cylinders," he added. DiMarco, the only player in the field ranked in the world's top 10, had an steady but unspectacular round. Four of his five birdies came on the easiest holes on the course. "I was playing conservative in a way," DiMarco said. "But I was also trying to make a lot of birdie drives. It's hard to make putts on the bumpy greens." Greg Norman, who shot a round of 67 managed six birdies but also had two bogeys. Step-up However the Australian believes he can win here. "I would not be here if I didn't think so," he said. "I don't think infrequent play is the ingredient for non-winning. "I know in my career, you've taken five, six weeks off and come out and won the next week. "I think if your heart is in the game, no matter how long you've out of the game, you should be able to step up and compete." PGA Tour Kemper Open first-round scores. (US unless stated) 63 - Franklin Langham | |
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