* Americans Duke and Tringale open with 65s
* Exhausted Watson cards a one-under-par 71
(Updates at end of round)
April 26 (Reuters) – Masters champion Bubba Watson struggled
with fatigue as fellow American Ken Duke birdied two of his last
three holes to grab a share of the lead in Thursday’s opening
round of the New Orleans Classic in Avondale, Louisiana.
While Watson launched his title defence with a battling
one-under-par 71 in blustery conditions at the TPC Louisiana,
journeyman Duke capitalised on a strategy of patience to card a
flawless 65.
Bidding for his first victory on the PGA Tour where he has
been a runner-up three times, the 43-year-old Duke rattled up
seven birdies to finish level with compatriot Cameron Tringale.
“You have to be patient out here,” Duke told reporters after
ending his round with birdies at the 16th and 18th. “You can’t
hit it (to) four, five feet on every hole because there are so
many mounds on the greens.
“You have to take your 30-foot putt here, 30-foot putt there
and take what it gives you. If you roll one in, you roll one in.
I did that a couple of times today.”
Americans Steve Stricker and Chris Stroud, Swede Daniel
Chopra and three-times major winner Ernie Els opened with 66s
while Ben Curtis, who won the Texas Open on Sunday, was among a
small group a further stroke back.
It was a tough day, though, for defending champion Watson
who was competing in his first event since winning the opening
major of the year at Augusta National 18 days ago.
Continued…
