Early shock but Rumford storms back

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  • September 3, 2009

Brett Rumford put a sickening incident out of his mind today to blaze home with the first-round lead at the Omega European Masters

Australian Brett Rumford put a sickening incident out of his mind today (Thursday) to blaze home with a sizzling 9-under-par 62 and the first-round lead at the Omega European Masters.
Rumford, winner of the title in 2007, hit a lady spectator just above the eye with his opening drive.
While she was taken away for treatment with blood streaming down her face, the 32-year-old from Perth, who was told about the incident and anxious to find out about the spectator’s condition, dropped shots on the fourth and fifth holes.
But then came a remarkable turnaround.
Rumford played the remaining 13 holes in 11 under par, with an eagle two on the driveable seventh, birdies at the sixth and ninth and then an inward 28 containing seven more birdies.
His 62 would have equalled the Crans-sur-Sierre course record but for the fact that placing of the ball was allowed on the wet fairways.
“I got off to a shaky start in more ways than one,” said Rumford, who leads by one from England’s Simon Dyson, winner of the KLM Open in Holland two weeks ago.
“It was not nice. You feel really bad for the lady, but there’s really nothing you can do.
“I’ve not spoken to her yet and I didn’t even see her at the time. It was her eyebrow I’m told – if it had been her temple a couple of inches away it could have been really bad.”
As for what followed, he added: “I’ve no idea where that came off. When I won here I played great golf, but today I just got my putter running.”

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