Unhappy Sabbatini scrambles 68

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May 24, 2010

Defending HP Byron Nelson champion Rory Sabbatini shot a first-round, two-under 68 – but was far from happy with it..

Defending champion Rory Sabbatini shot a weather-delayed, first-round, two-under-par 68 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas on Thursday – but was far from happy with his opening effort.
The South African, who beat Englishman Brian Davis by two strokes 12 months ago, matched his opening round of last year with three birdies and a bogey on a weather affected Thursday when a three-and-a-half hour suspension in play left a large section of the field needing to finish their first rounds on Friday.
After the first round was completed on Friday morning, Sabbatini found himself tied for 11th, two behind the joint first-round leaders Hunter Mahan, Joe Durant and Blake Adams of the USA and Michael Sim, Jarrod Lyle, Steve Elkington, and Jason Day of Australia who each shot an opening 66 at TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas near Dallas.
Four days on from compatriot Adam Scott’s victory at the Valero Texas Open, 22-year-old Queenslander Day was one of eight Australians in the top 20 after the first round.
The seven leaders have a one-shot lead over a group that included Jeff Overton, Colt Knost, Parker McLachlin, Greg Owen, Alex Prugh, Dustin Johnson, Nathan Green, Marc Leishman and Jay Williamson.
Sabbatini one of the 10 players two shots back in a tie for 11th.
The South African, though, was annoyed at his less than accurate play which saw him find just three of 14 fairways off the tee and 10 of 18 greens in regulation.
“A pretty dismal round of golf,” Sabbatini said. “I didn’t hit many fairways and missed so many greens I wore my short game out there.
“Made things tough on myself and kept it interesting, but I managed to scramble around and get in the clubhouse with two under, so I didn’t do too much damage.”
Sabbatini added: “Anybody watching would have been completely baffled as to how I shot two under.”
The answer to the puzzle was a solid round with the putter, Sabbatini needing only 26 putts, after some excellent scrambling.
Overnight leader Day’s opening round saw him card six birdies and two bogeys on his way to a four-under 66, while Johnson had an eagle on his scorecard after a three at the par-five seventh.