He’s sniffing, coughing and aching but Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie was a happy man after he shot a first-round 68.
His opening round left him five shots behind the runaway leader and former world number one Rory McIlroy and two shots adrift of fellow Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher, who opened his title defence with a 66.
McIlroy, who played alongside Gallacher and Tiger Woods, grabbed the first-round lead with a nine-under 63.
Having given thought to pulling out of the tournament 24 hours earlier when he awoke with a stiff neck and a head cold, Lawrie’s decision to play paid dividends.
It did not look so good when his round started with two bogeys. At the first his approach ended up against a ridge of rough on the collar of the green and at the second he drove into the sandy desert beside the hole.
But he fought back making six birdies later in the round before describing just how he felt, saying: “I’m still struggling, sniffing and coughing, while the neck is still a bit stiff. But, overall, it was a good day. I played lovely. So after starting bogey, bogey I am happy to take a 68.
“The neck is the same and it’s not improved much the last couple of days. If anything it is a little better than yesterday but not a lot.”
Having outscored world number one Woods in Tuesday’s Desert Classic 25th birthday exhibition event and again yesterday, Gallacher declined to answer a question which included the scoreline 2-0. But he was nevertheless delighted to have started his title defence so well in the company of the world’s number one and seven players.
Gallacher said: “Having played with Tiger on Tuesday I knew what to expect. You’ve got to get on with your own game. But he has been brilliant in the last couple of rounds I’ve played with him and Rory was just sublime today.
“It was hard not to draw some inspiration from Rory. He played so good. He made nine under look easy.
“It’s good to play with Tiger and Rory. You get the buzz. I wasn’t nervous at all today and I want to be playing with one of them on Sunday, last off.”
McIlroy, who won the Desert Classic in 2009, paid Gallacher a huge compliment.
The Northern Irishman said: “Stephen played really well himself today and shot six under par, a great way to start his defence of the tournament.”
Two other Scots broke par yesterday, with David Drysdale and Colin Montgomerie both carding 70. Peter Whiteford had a 76.