Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell tore up the course with a 14-under 58 to give Ireland a three-stroke lead after the first-round fourballs at the 55th World Cup of Golf yesterday.
Perfect scoring conditions at Mission Hills and the easier better-ball format led to a number of birdies and eagles throughout the field, but the sensational round by the two Ulstermen was a class above their rivals.
Although a shot short of the World Cup fourballs record, it was enough for a comfortable cushion over second-placed Argentine duo Rafa Echenique and Tano Goya, who carded a 61.
World No. 10 McIlroy drained a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th and was inches away from chipping in for another at the next hole, before grabbing Ireland’s 10th and 11th birdies of the day to take the outright lead.
McDowell did his bit for the cause too, contributing seven birdies in the blemish-free round, including four as the pair charged through the front nine at seven-under and another with a 12-foot putt at the 18th.
The scores are likely to be higher in the more difficult foursomes today, but the duo look in good shape to claim Ireland’s third World Cup and a first since Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley in 1997.
Echenique, runner-up at the BMW International Open in June, also eagled the 15th, before giving Argentina the clubhouse lead by draining a 20-foot putt on the final green.
The Argentines were matched for most of the day by their playing partners Ryuji Imada and Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan, who carded a 62 for third place, ahead of defending champions Sweden, Italy, Canada and South Korea, who all shot 64s.
Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang and Lu Wei-chih shot a five-under 67 to be tied for 15th place.
■CASIO OPEN
AFP, KOCHI, JAPAN
Japan’s Yusaku Miyazato, better known as the brother of women’s golfing star Ai Miyazato, shot a bogey-free seven-under 65 to take the lead after the first round of the Casio Open yesterday.
Starting from the back nine, Miyazato sank five birdies, including a run of four from the 15th hole, before adding two more on the front nine.
Last year’s top money earner on the Japan Tour, Shingo Katayama, trailed Miyazato by one stroke.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY STAFF WRITER
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
After letting another big lead slip with an error-strewn performance at the French Open on Wednesday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka felt like getting as far away from the courts as possible. “Just want to quit tennis right now,” Sabalenka said after wasting a lead of a set and two breaks in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss to Diana Shnaider in the women’s singles quarter-finals. “We’ll see in few days. Hopefully I’ll get back on track mentally.” Sabalenka’s wait for a first French Open title continues despite the four-time major winner leading 4-1 in the second set and being two points from victory while
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
RSS