• RBC Heritage, Round One

Solid start for Donald as Davis leads

ESPN staff
April 18, 2013
Luke Donald only produced three birdies on an average day © Getty Images
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RBC Heritage leaderboard

Luke Donald kicked off his RBC Heritage campaign in South Carolina four shots off the lead, but Brian Davis emerged as the top Englishman after he ended the opening day on six-under-par 65 to finish top of the leaderboard.

Davis, who lost out on the 2010 title after he called a two-shot penalty on himself during a play-off against Jim Furyk, landed eight birdies on an impressive day despite dropping shots on the fourth and 12th holes. He held a two-shot lead for a few hours but saw his deficit halved by Americans Kevin Streelman and Charley Hoffman.

Donald enjoyed a solid start to the round, carding a birdie on the second par-five and repeating the feat on the seventh hole. However, when it seemed as though he was going to improve to two-under-par, Donald stumbled on the 11th after placing his tee-off into the bunker.

The former world No. 1 recovered on the par-four 13th by holing a mid-range effort for birdie to climb up the leaderboard, and he almost secured consecutive birdies with an aggressive 24-foot attempt at the next. He rounded off the final four holes with pars.

Elsewhere, Marc Leishman and Jason Day, who both pushed fellow Australian and newly-crowned Masters champion Adam Scott in Augusta last weekend, each scored 67 and are just two shots off the lead.

German Martin Kaymer finished on two-under-par for the day.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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