Golf: Muir happy with surviving storm

IN CONTROL: Omokoroa's Kieran Muir watches a drive closely during his opening round at the Fiji International tournament yesterday. Photo / PGA Australia

Gale force winds hit scores in Fiji

The picture-postcard setting of Natadola Bay turned into a living nightmare for the world-class field in round one of the Fiji International yesterday.

With howling gales and squally showers buffeting the links on the Coral Coast, it became a battle of attrition for the field headed by PGA stars Vijay Singh and Matt Kuchar.

Kieran Muir from Omokoroa Beach was happy with his day's work after he signed for a five-over 77. It could have been even better as he was top of the leader board on even par after nine holes, before the demanding back nine and increasing gusts took their toll.

Muir, one of four Bay of Plenty golfers in the field along with Mark Brown, Josh Geary and Hayden Beard, says the conditions were as tough as he has played in.

"It is a strong enough golf course when there is no wind, so that was pretty brutal. I played pretty steady the first nine and would have liked to have putted better on the back nine and dropped a few coming in. I thought my ball flight and control in the wind was pretty good ... "

The gusty winds played mind games with the players all day. Kuchar left a downwind bogey putt short by six inches on the second hole and before he could mark it, a gust blew the ball into the cup. Unluckily for Muir, the reverse happened to him.

"I had a putt on the same hole that went up around the back of the hole and blew past me six or seven feet. We called the rules official over and he said 'sorry boys, carry on'."

Muir is looking to nail this opportunity on the co-sanctioned event on the OneAsia and PGA Australia tours. With a prize purse of $1.5 million it is a far cry from the Jennian Homes Charles Tour events he has been playing.

"I want to play in as many as these tier-one events as possible because they are worth more money. Last year I only got to play in one of them, the New Zealand Open, and I had a good result, finishing 10th, which wasn't enough to get the full status for this year.

"Looking forward for the rest of the year, the Australian Masters I should get in and I am hopeful of the Aussie Open, so as far as keeping my card for next year these tournaments are important. Looking to push on into Europe is the goal."

Tauranga's Josh Geary shot an even round 72 to lead by two shots from five players, including US PGA star Matt Kuchar. Mark Brown (Tauranga) is at 76.

-Results round one: www.fijiinternational.com

-Peter White travelled to Fiji courtesy of Fiji Airways and PGA Australia.