Irish playing catch up as Sullivan catches fire in Dubai
Andy Sullivan. Picture: Getty Images
Niall Kearney and Gavin Moynihan have their work cut out to make the cut in the inaugural Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World.
Royal Dublin man Kearney (32) bogeyed the par-five 18th to open with a one-under 71 and share 67th place, ten strokes behind a red-hot Andy Sullivan, who shot a stunning 11 under par 61 to set a new Fire Course record at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The Englishman recorded 11 birdies and flirted with just the second 59 in European Tour history after Oli Fisher at the 2018 Portugal Masters, before parring his last two holes in a brilliant bogey-free opening round that gave him a two-stroke lead over countrymen Matt Wallace and Ross Fisher and Frenchman Antoine Rozner.
Moynihan has a mountain to climb after he made six bogeys and a birdie in a five-over 77, using the blade 33 times to finish a low-scoring day tied for 105th in Dubai.
"I played very solid and it was disappointing to finish with a bogey but there are plenty of chances overall," said Kearney, who had 32 putts in round one will likely need a round in the sixties on Thursday to make the cut in what is almost certainly last start of a difficult season.
Scottish duo Craig Howie and Marc Warren and Swede Oscar Lengden are in a tie for fifth at eight under par, with Italian pair Lorenzo Scalise and Francesco Laporta, Sweden's Rikard Karlberg and Spaniard Pep Angles one shot further back.
Wednesday marked the 49th United Arab Emirates National Day, and Emirati invitational golfer Ahmed Skaik hit the opening tee shot to start the new event as the Fire Course made its European Tour debut.
"It’s funny, I played the front nine yesterday and I played the back nine a year ago when we came over to warm up, you do all this prep on these courses and try and work out where to hit it," Sullivan said. "This week I turned up and clattered it down and found myself being ridiculous under par through seven or eight holes on my front nine. You think ‘here we go’.
"I changed my putting routine with Mike yesterday and it’s helped me trust my instincts more instead of second guessing myself which really helped. The putter was extremely hot today.
"Covid really changed everything for me. I refocused and started enjoying it again. I’ve started to play a lot better. Going out there and enjoying it I know I’m giving myself the best chance to shoot a low score. Coming back to Jumeirah, I’ve always played pretty tidy here on the other course. It’s nice to get off to a flier on this one."
Player quotes
Antoine Rozner: "I think it’s my best round of the year for sure. I have been playing well over the last few weeks but I couldn’t really put anything together in the same round and I think I did that very well today.
"I putted great and saved a couple of great pars. I scored the par fives well even though I three-putted on the last one but it was an amazing round, nine under is my lowest on tour so I’m really happy with that.
"I think my game was very solid last year on Challenge Tour so I felt if I kept my same level and hit the ball as well as I did last year, maybe my putting is a bit better than last year, but I didn’t really change anything major and I think that’s paying off. I’m quite happy with my game this season."
Matt Wallace: "It’s been consistency in how I’ve been working, rather than consistency in playing. My preparation has been the same for a long time now. As you know I prepare really well, as well as I possibly can to be ready to shoot those scores. That’s something that’s a given for my preparation for the week.
"The par threes are 230 yards plus, and we had a 240 yard par three into the wind and they can make it longer, but when the weather is like this without a cloud in the sky, and it got hot towards the end so the ball is going a long way, and the greens are perfect. So it’s scoreable, but still not easy. Sully obviously played fantastic and when he gets going, his putter is hot, he drives it great, there are scores out there."
Ross Fisher: "I feel like it’s been there, but I just haven’t been able to find it for some reason. I feel like I’ve hit the ball really well for a long time, worked hard at short game, worked hard at putting and it just, for some reason, hasn’t clicked for four rounds. I’ve had the odd round here and there, but it’s not through the want of trying.
"I was disappointed after Cyprus, I felt like I played really well and to miss out on both weeks was really disappointing. I had three weeks off to reflect and then came here with the bit between my teeth knowing I needed a solid performance here to consolidate and get into next week. To go out there and produce that today, I’m obviously delighted."
Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World, Fire Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, Prize fund: €1,200,000
61 A Sullivan (Eng),
63 R Fisher (Eng), A Rozner (Fra), M Wallace (Eng),
64 C Howie (Sco), M Warren (Sco), O Lengden (Swe),
65 F Laporta (Ita), L Scalise (Ita), R Karlberg (Swe), P Angles (Esp),
66 N Lemke (Swe), G Forrest (Sco), M Korhonen (Fin), R Macintyre (Sco), M Kaymer (Ger), J Janewattananond (Tha), J Campillo (Esp), J Axelsen (Den),
67 T Pulkkanen (Fin), S Soderberg (Swe), H Li (Chn), T Pieters (Bel), D Willett (Eng), J Lagergren (Swe), D Perrier (Fra), J Morrison (Eng),
68 M Armitage (Eng), R Paratore (Ita), J Senior (Eng), B Ritthammer (Ger), T Detry (Bel), C Sordet (Fra), M Schmitt (Ger), J Fahrbring (Swe), S Crocker (Usa), P Waring (Eng), A Otaegui (Esp), S Horsfield (Eng), C Shinkwin (Eng),
69 E Cuartero Blanco (Esp), T Olesen (Den), J Smith (Eng), R Sciot-siegrist (Fra), M Kinhult (Swe), M Lorenzo-vera (Fra), E Pepperell (Eng), G Stal (Fra), S Gallacher (Sco), S Tiley (Eng),
70 S Brown (Eng), S V?lim?ki (Fin), L Bjerregaard (Den), R Petersson (Swe), H Long (Ger), A Ca?izares (Esp), M Keyser (Rsa), B Wiesberger (Aut), A Rai (Eng), N Von Dellingshausen (Ger), A Bj?rk (Swe), J Stalter (Fra), S Heisele (Ger), R Rock (Eng), A Knappe (Ger), D Coupland (Eng),
71 B Evans (Eng), N Fung (Mas), Niall Kearney (Irl), E Walker (Sco), D Horsey (Eng), M Baldwin (Eng), R Wattel (Fra),
72 J Wrisdale (Eng), N Colsaerts (Bel), G Migliozzi (Ita), M Schneider (Ger), E Ferguson (Sco), S Kjeldsen (Den), D Young (Sco), O Fisher (Eng), S Kapur (Ind), J Winther (Den), A Levy (Fra),
73 N Bertasio (Ita), A Arnaus (Esp), R H?jgaard (Den), J Gonnet (Fra), L Johnston (Sco), W Besseling (Ned), P Oriol (Esp), K Samooja (Fin), B Hebert (Fra), M Jordan (Eng), N M?ller (Den), D Gavins (Eng),
74 F Zanotti (Par), A Wilson (Eng), G Green (Mas),
75 L Slattery (Eng), M Kieffer (Ger), S Hend (Aus), R Jacquelin (Fra),
76 A Skaik (Am) (Uae),
77 C Wood (Eng), Gavin Moynihan (Irl),
78 I Abou El Ela (Egy)
