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St Andrews, Scotland: Louis Oosthuizen staked a claim for more glory at the home of golf on Thursday after grabbing a share of the first round lead at the Dunhill Links Championship.
The South African lifted his major title at St Andrews in 2010 with victory in the British Open, and fired his way into contention on Thursday with a six-under-par opening round 66.
It was a satisfying day's work for Oosthuizen, who was forced to miss the Pro-Am event last year after tearing ankle ligaments in a hunting accident.
"I couldn't watch this event last year on TV, I was too upset I wasn't there," said Oosthuizen, who heads the leaderboard with Austrian Markus Brier, Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey."It's nice to come back and experience everything again. It was good fun playing a practice round at St Andrews yesterday with my brother. I showed him where a few of my shots ended up and things like that.
Big shock
"I suffered the injury three weeks before the event last year and had no chance getting ready for it. It was a big shock for my brother because he was supposed to play, so I promised I would take him this year.
"There's nothing better than holding the Claret Jug at St Andrews. Hopefully at the end of the week it's just a different trophy."
The leaders will be nervously looking over their shoulders at Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who is lurking just one shot off the pace after a 67.
After a stellar 2010 which witnessed his first major at the US Open and a dramatic match-winning contribution for Europe in the Ryder Cup, McDowell has struggled to find his best form this year.
However the 32-year-old Ulsterman, who was one of six players to finish the day at five under, said he was reaping the benefits of a decision to seek out the advice from former coach Clive Tucker.
Scores
Dunhill Links Championship (first round)
66 - Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Michael Hoey (Brit), Markus Brier (Aust).
67 Graeme McDowell (Brit), Jaco Van Zyl (S Africa), James Morrison (Brit),James Byrne (Brit), Gregory Havret (Fra), Marc Warren (Brit)
68 - Tom Lewis (Brit), Colin Montgomerie (Brit), Peter Hanson (Swe), Lee Westwood (Brit) Romain Wattel (Fra), Martin Kaymer (Germ), Lorenzo Gagli (Ita), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Padraig Harrington (Ire), Steve Webster (Brit), Shane Lowry (Ire).
US PGA Las Vegas (first round)
63 - William McGirt, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
64 - Nathan Green (AUS), Charlie Wi (KOR)
65 - Blake Adams, Alex Cejka (GER), Steve Flesch, Harrison Frazar, Tim Herron, Matt Jones (AUS), Derek Lamely, Rod Pampling (AUS).
The South African lifted his major title at St Andrews in 2010 with victory in the British Open, and fired his way into contention on Thursday with a six-under-par opening round 66.
It was a satisfying day's work for Oosthuizen, who was forced to miss the Pro-Am event last year after tearing ankle ligaments in a hunting accident.
"I couldn't watch this event last year on TV, I was too upset I wasn't there," said Oosthuizen, who heads the leaderboard with Austrian Markus Brier, Spain's Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Northern Ireland's Michael Hoey."It's nice to come back and experience everything again. It was good fun playing a practice round at St Andrews yesterday with my brother. I showed him where a few of my shots ended up and things like that.
Big shock
"I suffered the injury three weeks before the event last year and had no chance getting ready for it. It was a big shock for my brother because he was supposed to play, so I promised I would take him this year.
"There's nothing better than holding the Claret Jug at St Andrews. Hopefully at the end of the week it's just a different trophy."
The leaders will be nervously looking over their shoulders at Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who is lurking just one shot off the pace after a 67.
After a stellar 2010 which witnessed his first major at the US Open and a dramatic match-winning contribution for Europe in the Ryder Cup, McDowell has struggled to find his best form this year.
However the 32-year-old Ulsterman, who was one of six players to finish the day at five under, said he was reaping the benefits of a decision to seek out the advice from former coach Clive Tucker.
Scores
Dunhill Links Championship (first round)
66 - Louis Oosthuizen (S Africa), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa), Michael Hoey (Brit), Markus Brier (Aust).
67 Graeme McDowell (Brit), Jaco Van Zyl (S Africa), James Morrison (Brit),James Byrne (Brit), Gregory Havret (Fra), Marc Warren (Brit)
68 - Tom Lewis (Brit), Colin Montgomerie (Brit), Peter Hanson (Swe), Lee Westwood (Brit) Romain Wattel (Fra), Martin Kaymer (Germ), Lorenzo Gagli (Ita), Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe), Padraig Harrington (Ire), Steve Webster (Brit), Shane Lowry (Ire).
US PGA Las Vegas (first round)
63 - William McGirt, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
64 - Nathan Green (AUS), Charlie Wi (KOR)
65 - Blake Adams, Alex Cejka (GER), Steve Flesch, Harrison Frazar, Tim Herron, Matt Jones (AUS), Derek Lamely, Rod Pampling (AUS).
