DP World Tour : Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Leaderboard
The beat goes on on the DP World Tour, all flights into Glasgow, Edinburgh and even Heathrow ending up in St Andrews, Scotland for another edition of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, at the Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, where the hotels, B&B'S, Rental homes are all full yet again in the aftermath of one of Europe's greatest Ryder Cups..
Sebastian Söderberg made a lightning start and Adri Arnaus produced a fast finish as the duo joined Peter Uihlein at the top of a congested leaderboard after day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Swede Söderberg birdied eight of his first ten holes over the Old Course at St Andrews to set the pace, signing for a 64 that would be matched by American Uihlein over the same layout.
Spaniard Arnaus was four shots off the lead with five to play at Carnoustie Golf Links but eagled the 14th before finishing birdie-birdie to join them at eight under with a 64 of his own and make it a three-way tie.
Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, fresh off his heroics as a vice captain in last week's European Ryder Cup victory, was then part of a six-way tie for second at seven under alongside local favourite Grant Forrest, Dane Marcus Helligkilde, American Billy Horschel and South African duo Zander Lombard and Wilco Nienaber.
On a cold and wet day on Scotland's east coast, Söderberg turned in 29 and Ross Fisher's St Andrews course record was looking under threat when he made another birdie on the tenth.
Six consecutive pars ended those hopes, however, and the 33-year-old bogeyed the 17th before a closing birdie ensured he would finish the day on top.
"It was quite easy the first ten holes or so," he said. "Then you kind of turn around going into the wind and it rained a little bit more.
"I thought I played pretty good the last eight holes as well. I just didn't get close enough, didn't really hole the putts but it felt good to finish with a birdie.
"I've had one or two or three really good rounds for a while, I feel like. There's just always been one or two bad rounds every week. So the weekends, they haven't been what I wanted in the last two months or so.
"I feel like there's a lot of good golf in me so I just have to try to clean up the bad golf a little more and try to get around a little better."
Uihlein was the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 2013, the year he lost out in a play-off at this event, while he also achieved a top ten last season.
"I've had good success here." he said after his bogey-free effort. "I just love it, the golf is pure over here and I like when it gets windy and challenging, it's just a lot of fun, really. You get to be creative and it's just something that I enjoy doing.
"I was close here in 2013 when David Howell beat me in a play-off. Looking back on it, it would have been a really special one to win around here.
Horschel turned in 29 at Carnoustie en route to his 65, while Colsaerts, Helligkilde, Lombard and Nienaber all played at St Andrews, and Forrest went round Kingsbarns.
There was then a group of 13 players at six under including defending champion Ryan Fox.
edit *** Canada's Aaron Cockerill is T108 after an opening E 72 at Kingsbarns. He'll play the Old Course today.
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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