WALES OPEN LEADERBOARD - DAY ONE GB & Irl unless indicated
-8 S Strange (Aus) -7 E Molimari (It) -6 JM Singh (Ind), A Velasco (Spa)
Selected others: -4 R Karlsson (Swe) -2 C Montgomerie -1 D Clarke , P Harrington
 Strange played the inward nine at the Celtic Manor in just 28 strokes. |
Scott Strange leads the field after day one of the Celtic Manor Wales Open played on the new Twenty Ten course. The Australian sank six birdies in seven holes en route to an excellent eight-under-par 63 - one shot ahead of Italy's Edoardo Molinari. Ryder Cup hopeful Nick Dougherty is four off the lead, while Colin Montgomerie is two under. Darren Clarke and pre-tournament favourite, Open champion Padraig Harrington, are both back on one under. PGA Championship winner Miguel Angel Jimenez did not even last the whole day, pulling out after 11 holes to avoid aggravating a knee injury.  | 606: DEBATE |
Clarke and Harrington each shot three birdies but dropped two shots on their way to rounds of 70, a score they share with the in-form Oliver Fisher and 2002 Wales Open winner Paul Lawrie. Philip Price is the best-placed Welshman on three under after a round containing six birdies, a welcome return to form after four tough years which have seen him fall to 205th on the European Order of Merit. But the day belonged to Strange who played the second half of the new Twenty Ten course in just 28 strokes. After a two hour fog delay, he started on the 11th and covered the first nine holes in 35 before completing his round with a two on the 210-yard 10th. Second-placed Molinari has been plagued by wrist problems until recently but has solved them in unconventional fashion, by wearing a gumshield. "My dad is a dentist and he didn't believe it," said Molinari. "Four or five days later there was no pain. He said the muscles down my left side were affected when I closed my mouth. "It's making a huge difference. Before I was shooting really high numbers and for a week I could hardly lift a club."
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