Magnus A Carlsson confounded his past performances in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open to smooth a first round of 4-under-par 32-36=68 at Dundonald Links in Troon, Ayrshire, good for T8.
The Swede, who is something of an expert in retaining his card, often without performing in the big events, and frequently without making too many top tens, might want to buck that trend this week; he’s certainly made a bright start which he needs given he is 135th in the Race to Dubai, is just 3-for-12 and has missed his last seven cuts – indeed, it is the first time he has broken 70 since the Joburg Open in late February. When he made bogey at 1 he cannot have expected the final result, and despite birdies at 5 and 7, after another bogey at 9 he was back where he started. But a brace of red numbers at 13 and 14, followed by a final hole eagle-3 turned his hopes round – and maybe his season? He’s three back of the leader Mikko Ilonen.