Thomas Björn brought all his experience to bear over Doral’s Blue Monster with the only bogey-free round of the opening day to lie two shots off the lead in the WGC – Cadillac Championship.
Björn shot a four under par 68 to sit alongside Charl Schwartzel, the South African continuing his fine form as he builds towards his Masters defence next month, two adrift of the leaders Jason Dufner and Adam Scott.
The Blue Monster bared its teeth on the opening day of the second WGC event of the season with strong winds sweeping through Miami, but Björn, who took his tally of European Tour titles to 13 with three wins last season, knuckled down to keep the mistakes off the card.
“I think experience will tell you that when it's tough, there's only one thing to do, and that's work hard,” said Björn, who has picked up two top tens this season. “You throw everything out the window, all technique and all things that sometimes go into this game and just go and work hard. That's the only way to get around.
“I feel comfortable doing that. I feel that I can go out and work my way around the golf course. Keep those big mistakes away. That's crucial on days like this, because it's so difficult to get them back. And when you have days like this where you don't make any bogeys in these conditions, you've got to walk off the golf course very happy.
“When you wake up on a day like this when it's this windy, you know that you have to play solid golf and keep the big mistakes off the scorecard. That's the crucial part, and I did that. I played pretty solid and holed my putts, and then you get one of those rounds where things just go your way, but you know that the conditions look like they are going to be this every day, so you're going to have a day where it's going to be a struggle and a hard working day.”
Schwartzel, runner-up to Ernie Els in the event two years ago, dropped just one shot in the tough conditions with five birdies but it was par saves at the sixth and 11th holes, and a par on the fearsome closing hole which stood out.
“On the 11th I missed the green to the right side and made a 12‑footer there for par, after going birdie, birdie, which just kept the momentum going.
“And also on the sixth, once again from middle of the fairway, blocked it right and I had to chip it and once again, hole a little 12‑footer for par. That was early on, coming off the bogey on the fourth. I didn't need another bogey. Those were two big saves for me.
“I'm very satisfied. It's one of those golf courses where there are birdies out there, even if the wind is blowing. Only one bogey in these conditions, I’ll take it any day.”
Alvaro Quiros double bogeyed the 18th to finish a further shot back on three under par, a score matched by fellow European Tour Members Justin Rose and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Luke Donald won the first round of the battle of the top three in the Official World Golf Ranking with a two under par 70 while Rory McIlroy shot a 73 in his first round as World Number One and Lee Westwood shot a 76.
