Phil Tataurangi: Top conditions for classy play

Phil Tataurangi

I'm not the least bit surprised by the low scoring in yesterday's opening round.

It is testament to the standard of golf being played and also the playing conditions.

Gulf Harbour was at its most defenceless yesterday. It is in excellent shape, the fairways are cut very short and the greens are receptive and putting extremely true. With all the elements put together yesterday it presented a benign face for the golfers.

All the ingredients were there for a mountain of red numbers.

Twenty-seven players shot five-under 67 or better. You don't win a tournament on the first day, but you can certainly put yourself in a challenging position.

I'd pick the cut could be as low as four-under if the conditions stay the same for today's second round. The way tournaments are structured, all players get a morning and an afternoon start in the first two days.

For those who need a good round today they would much prefer a morning start.

I always took the approach that if I played in the afternoon on day one I was pretty keen to get back out on the course, either to continue whatever momentum I'd built up or to make amends.

You get the fresh greens in the morning, a quick turnaround from the previous afternoon and if you've had a good finish it remains fresh in the mind.

That's why David Smail will be in a good frame of mind this morning.

He'll know he could have done a lot better yesterday but at two-under he's still there or thereabouts.

As for New Zealand's other big hope, Michael Campbell, a one-over 73 was certainly not what he had in mind when he teed off.

The third round is referred to as moving day in golf. That's when players like to put up a strong score to position themselves for a title bid on the Sunday.

But in Michael's case he'll need to get on his bike 24 hours earlier, either to move into contention or out of town.

Some names jump out when you glance down the leaderboard.

Swedes Joakim Haeggman, Niclas Fasth and Pierre Fulke, Aussies Jarrod Moseley and Brett Rumford are all classy performers.

But given the standard of this Open there are no nobodies in there.

* Phil Tataurangi is one of New Zealand's leading professional golfers.