Englishman Mark Foster has grabbed the clubhouse lead at the Australian PGA Championship, taking advantage of easing conditions to hit a three-under-par opening round of 69 at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast.
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“I wish I could put a spin on it”, said Snedeker, the highest-ranked player in the field.
Wild winds reaching 60km/h and sideways rain greeted the early starters, among whom was top drawcard Brandt Snedeker, who had a day to forget with a woeful 12-over-par, featuring eight bogeys, a double and a triple.
“When you’re not firing on all cylinders and the wind is blowing the way it did out here, your mistakes are going to be exacerbated – mine were”.
The world number 38 steadied his round with a couple of pars on 14 and 15 but dropped further shots on the 16th and 18th to sit last on the leaderboard at the turn, a yawning 11 strokes behind the early pacesetters.
“It was definitely one of my most professional rounds”, said Lombard, who qualified for the tournament via South Africa’s Sunshine Tour.
The Australian PGA Championship is co-sanctioned with the European Tour and has drawn a host of players eager to start the next Race To Dubai in style.
Lombard was one of those as the 20-year-old made five birdies and no bogeys as the South African signed for a five-under 67 to lead by two strokes.
Ryder Cup hopeful David Lingmerth posted three birdies in a bogey-free back nine to join home favourite John Senden six shots off the pace, while Cameron Smith signed for a six-over 78 after running up a quintuple-bogey at the par-four 13th.
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There was one moment of glory amid all the chaos, as Italy’s Filippo Bergamaschi nailed a hole in one on the 169m fifth hole – the clear highlight of his nine-over-par day out.
