By Tony Jimenez
VIRGINIA WATER, England May 24 (Reuters) – British
journeyman David Drysdale took advantage of an outrageous stroke
of good fortune to claim a share of the lead after the PGA
Championship first round at Wentworth on Thursday.
The 37-year-old, who made his European Tour debut in 1999
but has never won on the circuit, and Irishman Peter Lawrie
upstaged a parade of the world’s finest golfers with matching
six-under-par 66s.
One stroke adrift ere world number 10 Justin Rose,
big-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, Briton Jamie Donaldson and
Swedish duo Niclas Fasth and Richard S Johnson.
Drysdale packed seven birdies into his round but it was the
one at the par-five 18th that left the sun-drenched galleries
open-mouthed in surprise at the tour’s flagship event.
His 212-yard second shot landed in the water guarding the
front of the green but bounced back out off some pebbles and he
went on to make his four.
“I don’t know how it came back out but I’ll take that
break,” Drysdale told reporters. “I was jumping up and down on
the fairway and was happy to see where it finished.
“It was one of those strokes that was totally the opposite
of what I was trying to hit.”
World number 291 Drysdale and 2008 Spanish Open champion
Lawrie are two of the most accurate drivers on the tour and the
pair were again safety personified from the tee on a hot, sunny
day devoid of wind.
Continued…
