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LOCH LOMOND, Scotland, July 9 (Reuters) - Motor racing fan Richard Green was quick off the Scottish Open grid before accelerating into the lead with a seven-under-par 64 in Thursday’s first round. The Australian left-hander, who says he enjoys nothing more than driving and maintaining his own race car, reeled off six birdies and an eagle on a day of glorious sunshine to leave a top-class field trailing. if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object(); window.yzq_d['nj1KAdG_fyE-']='&U=13frlikho%2fN%3dnj1KAdG_fyE-%2fC%3d698998.13038189.13242597.12597342%2fD%3dSKY%2fB%3d5515353%2fV%3d1'; <img width=1 height=1 alt="" src="http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=f2.SdtG_bvGVp_e7R6nzVAQ1Q05x_UpWNrYADydS&T=14uqar08n%2fX%3d1247164087%2fE%3d95863484%2fR%3dsports%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d2.1%2fW%3dH%2fY%3dYAHOO%2fF%3d319448603%2fH%3dY29udGVudD0ibGVhZ3VlPWdvbGY-%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3d156FBFD1&U=13frlikho%2fN%3dnj1KAdG_fyE-%2fC%3d698998.13038189.13242597.12597342%2fD%3dSKY%2fB%3d5515353%2fV%3d1"> Sharing second place on 65 were British pair Graeme Storm and Martin Laird, Ireland’s Paul McGinley and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain who squeezed nine threes into his round. “It was a great round of golf … (I was) very much under control,” Green told reporters at the warmup event for next week’s British Open at Turnberry. “I love this place. I remember the first time I came here in 1996, I finished joint sixth. Today was very easy for us and it seemed very easy for me.” Green finished tied third on the banks of Loch Lomond in 2008, one of several consistent performances which helped him finish 23rd on the European order of merit. This year has not been quite so good for the 1997 Dubai Desert Classic champion, with five missed cuts in 11 appearances. Green raced to the turn with four birdies in an outward half of 32. He dropped a stroke at the par-four 12th before bouncing back with an eagle at the 13th and birdies at the 14th and 15th. The eagle was the undoubted highlight of his round. “I hit a great drive, then a great three-wood on the green and rolled in a putt that was breaking probably eight feet right to left from 35 feet away,” said Green. EARLY RISER Englishman Storm had to wipe the sleep from his eyes after getting up early in preparation for his 0730 teeoff time in the day’s opening match. “I was up at quarter to five this morning,” he said. “I was here early, went to see the physio, did a little warmup on a bike and some stretching. “It was then nice to get off to a flying start (with birdies at the first two holes).” Storm was certainly wide awake on the back nine, firing four birdies in six holes from the 12th. Adam Scott was in sixth position on 66 while fellow Australian Geoff Ogilvy, the world number six, was on 69 alongside 11th-ranked Camilo Villegas, U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera, John Daly and Ernie Els. Playing partners Rory McIlroy (68), Ian Poulter (69) and Lee Westwood (73) enjoyed contrasting fortunes. Jose Maria Olazabal, needing to finish as the highest player on the leaderboard not already exempt in order to qualify for Turnberry, carded a 71 as did American Boo Weekley and Nick Faldo who is making a rare playing appearance this week. (Editing by Alison Wildey. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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