Melbourne: The Indian duo, Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar, had a disastrous start in the first round of the USD 8 million World Cup of Golf.
Lahiri, who missed the cut last week at the Talisker Masters, seemed to get a better idea of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club as he shot one-over 72, but Bhullar disappointed with a 11-over 82.
As a result of that, the Indians were tied right at the bottom of the table in 25th place with New Zealand.
The conditions were not easy with gusts of wind and the flint-hard greens at the famed sandbelt course. American Kevin Streelman bogeyed two of his last three holes to fall and had to share a one-stroke lead with Denmark's Thomas Bjorn.
Streelman, a late choice to represent the defending champion United States team, had torn up Royal Melbourne's back nine with five birdies in six holes but dropped shots on the tricky 16th and 18th to card a 66 and join Bjorn on five-under.
The pair finished a stroke ahead of Welshman Stuart Manley, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Scotland's Martin Laird. Sixty players are competing for individual honours while 26 two-player teams are competing for the team prize. Having given themselves every chance of winning the individual trophy, Streelman and Bjorn also put their nations in the box seat for team honours.
Streelman and Kuchar's combined score of five-under left the United States level with Denmark's Bjorn and Thorbjorn Olesen (71), three strokes ahead of Portugal's Jose-Filipa Lima (71) and Ricardo Santos (69).
Adam Scott was one of those who went over par as he carded four-over 75 including an eight on par-4 12th hole. It was his worst single hole score on PGA Tour for six years. His compatriot Jason Day, who was mourning the loss of eight relatives in Typhoon Haiyan, rolled in five birdies and two bogeys in his first round in five weeks. He carded three-under 68 and was two off the leaders, Streelman and Bjorn.
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