Aussies prosper at Loch Lomond (From Chorley Citizen)

Aussies prosper at Loch Lomond

7:44pm Thursday 9th July 2009

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It was a good day for Australia in the golf as well as the cricket on Thursday.

Left-hander Richard Green leads the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond after a seven under par 64 - and Adam Scott, currently dating tennis star Ana Ivanovic and trying to fight his way out of a slump, is only two behind.

Not so happy, though, was Lee Westwood. His build-up to next week's Open was hit by a chest infection and after struggling to a 73 the former European No 1 said he had been "stupid" to tee off.

Colin Montgomerie could do no better than the same score, but there was still a Scot as well as a Scott on the leaderboard.

That player was Glasgow-born, but Arizona-based Martin Laird, over from the US Tour for his first-ever professional tournament in Europe.

Laird, watched by proud parents and grandparents, twice chipped in en route to a 65 which put him in joint second place with 42-year-old Irishman Paul McGinley, England's Graeme Storm and Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Green first came to global attention back in 1997 when he beat Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam in a play-off in Dubai, but his only European Tour victory since then came in Austria two years ago.

A curling 35-foot putt for eagle on the 13th, his fourth, settled him after he had bogeyed the one before and six birdies followed.

Playing with Westwood were Rory McIlroy and Ian Poulter, both wearing tartan trousers. They scored 68 and 69 respectively, while Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Masters champion Angel Cabrera matched Poulter's round and defending champion Graeme McDowell shot 70.

Sir Nick Faldo, playing his first tournament of the year and also in the coming Open, was two under after seven, but slipped back to a level par 71.

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