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Page last updated at 16:55 GMT, Thursday, 22 July 2010 17:55 UK

Open champion Louis Oosthuizen shares lead in Sweden

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD: -5 R Green (Aus), L Oosthuizen (SA), D Johnson (US) -4 E Molinari (It), S Jeppesen (Swe), R Echenique (Arg), KJ Choi (Kor)-3 N Fasth (Swe), D Dixon (Eng), G Boyd (Eng), J Guerrier (Fr), S O'Hara (Sco)


Open champion Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen first became a member of the European Tour in 2004

Open champion Louis Oosthuizen continued his golden run with a five-under-par 67 to share the first round lead at the Scandinavian Masters.

The South African opened with a birdie and picked up five more on the inward nine to join Australian left-hander Richard Green and USA's Dustin Johnson.

Edoardo Molinari, who could move up to ninth in the Ryder Cup standings this week, is one of four men a shot back.

The Scottish Open winner was in the first group out and had six birdies.

On an overcast, breezy day at the Bro Hof Slott course in Stockholm, Oosthuizen produced another fine round, only four days after his seven-shot triumph at St Andrews, but admitted his first major title had taken its toll.

"I had a good sleep, but I woke up tired again and the win has definitely drained me," he said.

"But the crowds were unbelievable, cheering me onto every green and every tee. I wanted to play nicely. The last thing I wanted was to put on a bad show."

Green has won twice on the European Tour, both after play-offs.

Edoardo Molinari
Molinari could move above Luke Donald in the Ryder Cup standings

The most recent of the titles, achieved a decade apart, came in 2007 at the Austrian Open.

The 39-year-old hit an eight-iron to three feet for a seventh birdie of the day on the 407-yard 18th hole.

"My driving was exceptionally good," he said. "A friend brought one out from the UK that I've used before, so hopefully it will keep working like that."

Molinari picked up a bonus birdie at the par-three seventh when he holed from the bunker following a poor tee shot.

"It was a shank to be honest," the 29-year-old said. "But I think I hit a very good bunker shot because it came out very high and soft and then hit the flag and went in."

Highly rated American Rickie Fowler, who recovered from an opening 79 at the Open to tie for 14th, was also in the first group out with Molinari, beginning at the 10th, but after three birdies in his first 11 holes he finished one over.

But New Zealander Michael Campbell, who captured the US Open and World Match Play Championship in 2005 but has not won since, fared far worse, with a quadruple bogey nine at the 13th en route to an 81.



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see also
Oosthuizen eyes more major wins
19 Jul 10 |  Golf
Golf on the BBC
01 Jul 11 |  Golf


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