Fuente: © PGA European Tour
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GOLF: Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship: Loan Ranger Smyth Ties Sowa In Bahrain

/noticias.info/ Defending champion Des Smyth took a share of the lead with Argentine Adan Sowa on day one of the Arcapita Seniors Tour Championship in Bahrain after playing half of his round on his own, following the withdrawal of playing partners Sam Torrance and Carl Mason through injury.

Mason lasted just two holes before a back problem forced him off the course at Riffa Views, while Order of Merit winner Torrance quit after nine due to a swollen index finger.

This meant that the feature group on day one of the US$500,000 championship, the final event of the European Seniors Tour season, comprised Ireland’s Smyth and a marker in the shape of Colin Ferguson, the Scottish-born professional at Riffa Views.

Smyth commented: “It was incredible - that’s never happened to me before. It was looking like it would be a really lonely round but then the local pro joined me and we had a nice chit-chat. As it turned out I ended up thanking him as I pulled things around on the back nine.”

The 2006 Ryder Cup Vice-Captain birdied three of the closing five holes to sign for a three under par 69, matching the score posted by Sowa earlier in the day. They are two strokes clear of three players - John Bland of South Africa, Martin Gray of Scotland and Northern Ireland’s Jimmy Heggarty, who all returned 71s in difficult windy conditions.

Sowa, who is outside the 2007 cards in 45th spot on the Order of Merit, said: “I am very happy with the way I played because the wind was tough and also because this is a very important tournament for me, as I have to try and break into the top 40 on the Order of Merit.”

The smooth-swinging South American got off to a flying start at the first, landing his eight iron approach to five feet of the pin and holing the birdie putt. He went on to birdie the par five third, after getting up and down from right of the green, and racked up 15 pars before finishing in style with a birdie four at the last.

By contrast, Smyth bogeyed the opening hole while playing partner Mason, clearly in pain with his back, made a triple-bogey seven.

Mason dropped out at the next and Smyth went on to reach the turn in level par 36, where he then lost the company of Torrance.

After a great par save at the 11th, Smyth birdied the par five 12th from 15 feet, bogeyed the par three 13th and then birdied the par four 14th from 15 feet and the par three 16th from 20 feet.

He then launched a massive drive around the corner at the 524 yard 18th, to leave himself with a seven iron into the green. His approach landed 20 foot behind the pin and two putts gave him a fifth birdie of the day and a share of the lead.

“I am delighted with the way I played. Anything under par today was good golf,” added Smyth.

Meanwhile, Torrance and Mason were left to rue a disappointing finish to their respective campaigns.

Torrance, who was three over par for his nine holes, said: “The bonus is that I have already won the Order of Merit. It would have been pretty depressing to walk in and leave people out on the course that had a chance of beating me to the title.

“Still, it was very disappointing to have to quit, but I have had this pain for a few weeks. I thought it was arthritis but I have just been told by the nurse here that it might be gout, as I have had it in my toes as well. I hope it is gout as that would be much easier to cure.”

Mason, meanwhile, will lose his second place position on the Order of Merit if former Ryder Cup player José Rivero manages to finish first or second in Bahrain. The Spaniard has much to do, though, after starting with a six over par 78.

Mason was one of the pre-tournament favourites following a brilliant run of form that had seen him win three of the previous four events, but with a fourth win of the season now out of the question he was left reflecting on his run of bad luck at Riffa Views.

At the same venue last year, a series of unfortunate events conspired to prevent him from winning his third European Seniors Tour Order of Merit. Firstly his caddie failed to turn up and then his problem back flared up again, leaving the way open for Torrance to secure the 2005 Order of Merit in comfortable fashion.

“I am thinking that I am fated at this place,” rued Mason, a winner of 13 titles on the European Seniors Tour and a two-time winner on The European Tour.

“I am obviously sorely disappointed to withdraw, but it won’t change my life. If it had cost me the Order of Merit I would be really down, but it hasn’t and thankfully I have had a good season. It’s just a damn shame it had to finish like this.” notas_de_prensa_archivo