Golf Gear Newswire : Johansen takes early lead in Estoril

ESTORIL, Portugal (AP)—Eirik Tage Johansen narrowly missed out on equalling the long-standing course record at Penha Longa as he shot a 7-under 65 Thursday to take the early lead at the Estoril Open de Portugal.

A run of four birdies from the 11th hole and another at 16 took the California-born Norwegian to within a shot of the 64 carded by Wales’ Phillip Price in 1994.

However, Johansen made bogey when he drove into trees at No. 17 and it was only a birdie at the par-five 18th that allowed him to take a one-stroke lead over England?s Richard Bland, who shot 66.

The 28-year-old Johansen was happy to have only found the course?s many trees once in his round.

“The wind was swirling around the course all morning,” he said. “And with so many trees, it was difficult to hit some fairways. But I was confident in my game and on the second nine I sank a string of long putts.”

Sweden?s Henrik Nystrom earlier had also reached 7-under through his first 16 holes only to fall foul of the trees at the 17th as well. He dropped a shot at the last to finish with a 67 and occupy third place alongside Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn.

Bland, one of only 13 players currently inside the top 100 of the second Race to Dubai playing in Portugal, completed his round with a seventh birdie of the day, holing an 18-foot putt at the last after putting his approach to the green in deep rough.

A switch of dates for the tournament has been blamed for the absence of many of Europe?s leading players in the 150-strong event.

The tournament was due to be held at the beginning of April but was moved after a particularly severe winter prevented grass growth after a series of course alterations.

With more than 25 top European players heading early to Pebble Beach to prepare for next week?s US Open, Englishman Chris Wood—currently No. 81—is the highest-ranked player in the field.

After a recent run of three top-10 finishes, Wood lived up to his billing as the pre-tournament favourite with four birdies in his first 10 holes but slipped back after three-putting on the 13th.

Two short, but heavy, rain showers just as the early leaders were finishing their rounds altered the pace of the greens, making them much slower for the players starting in the afternoon.

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Johansen takes early lead in Estoril

2010-06-10

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