Mickelson and Els start slowly in Scottish Open, where surprises lead

7/11/2008

LUSS, Scotland (AP) -- Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and Alexander Noren of Sweden shot 7-under 64s Thursday to share the lead after the first round of the Barclays Scottish Open on the European Tour.

Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els both returned from three-week breaks and failed to break par in this tune-up before the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, which begins July 17.

Mickelson finished with a 71 and Els had a 1-over 72.

Els joked about not even turning up for Friday's second round.

Thongchai made four straight birdies on the front nine at Loch Lomond and then birdied the last two holes after overnight rain delayed the start of play by 90 minutes.

The 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, was third after a 65.
Thongchai, who sunk a 25-footer on the seventh hole, said putting was the key.

Thongchai has a prolapsed disc at the base of his back that requires constant monitoring, and he will return home for treatment if he doesn't qualify for next week's Open Championship.

He played only two events in a 15-week period this year and missed the cut in both, working instead to strengthen his back by swimming and stretching.

Cabrera, who missed the cut last month in defense of his U.S. Open title, didn't drop a shot in his 65.

Niclas Fasth, Garry Houston and John Bickerton were on 66, while a large group on 67 included Lee Westwood, who was third in the U.S. Open, 2004 champion Thomas Levet and 2006 winner Johan Edfors.
Westwood said his form continues to be good.

Colin Montgomerie, the 1999 champion, shot 69 after bogeys at his 16th and 17th holes, the seventh and eighth.

The Scot hopes to make this year's Ryder Cup team but, even if he fails, plans to try to make the 2010 and 2012 teams before captaining Europe at Gleneagles in 2014.

Third-ranked Adam Scott, playing with a hand injury sustained before the U.S.Open, had a triple bogey 7 on his first hole on the way to a 72.

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1. Thongchai Jaidee             THA  64 - 7
    Alexander Noren              SWE  64 - 7
3. Angel Cabrera                  ARG  65 - 6
4. John Bickerton                  ENG  66 - 5
    Niclas Fasth                     SWE  66 - 5
    Garry Houston                 WAL  66 - 5
7. Martin Erlandsson             SWE  67 - 4
    Pablo Martin                     ESP  67 - 4
    Lee Westwood                  ENG  67 - 4
    Thomas Levet                  FRA  67 - 4
    Johan Edfors                    SWE  67 - 4
    Richard Green                  AUS  67 - 4
    Thomas Björn                   DEN  67 - 4
    Henrik Stenson                SWE  67 - 4
    Greame McDowell              NIR  67 - 4
    Patrik Sjöland                  SWE  67 - 4
    Maarten Lafeber               NED  67 - 4
    Sven Strüver                    GER  67 - 4

Source: ÄP, European Tour