• Qatar Masters, Day One

Wilson holds off Westwood to lead in Qatar

ESPN staff
January 28, 2010
Oliver Wilson went round in one shot better than Lee Westwood © Getty Images
Enlarge

Day one gallery

Oliver Wilson jointly leads the field after shooting a five-under-par 67 on a windswept first day at the Qatar Masters. The world No. 43 benefitted from a late tee-off time - by which point the blustery conditions had largely subsided - to record six birdies. He shares his lead with Bradley Dredge.

Lee Westwood, recovering from missing the cut at last week's Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, is a member of the chasing pack who hit 68. The World No. 4 secured birdies at 16 and 18 to make a belated dash toward the top of the leaderboard.

He is joined on four-under by Marcel Siem and two Swedes, Robert Karlsson - who arguably completed the day's most impressive round having started when the weather was at its most unhelpful - and Alexander Noren.

Close behind the group tied for second, Sergio Garcia was happy to finish two-under. "I feel like I played decent. I hit two or three terrible shots, but other than that it was a good day," he said. "Obviously the course is playing very difficult with the wind and the firmness of the greens."

Ross Fisher also went round in 70, the Englishman scoring an eagle two at the par four 16th. Paul Casey was one shot worse-off than his compatriot after a tumultuous round - four birdies and three bogeys - at the Doha Club.

Martin Kaymer did not carry any momentum forward from his Abu Dhabi win, finishing three-over. It was the same story for Ian Poulter, who finished second to the German at that tournament, after he too shot a 75.

Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie cut a frustrated figure as he struggled to cope with the swirling winds, finishing a disappointing four-over. Fellow veteran Kenny Perry, one of the highest ranked players in the competition at 13th in the world, carded 74.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close