Michael Hendry and Ryan Fox have had a tough start to the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, but are still in the battle heading into the second round.
Hendry started his debut major championship with a three-over-par 73 with Fox finishing a further one shot back. These scores will
have both Kiwis flirting with the cutline which will include the top 70 players plus ties.
After suspicions of a back injury, Hendry took to the first tee and provided two birdies, 11 pars and five bogeys. Fox could only manage the single birdie, coupled with five of his own bogeys.
This is Foxs second Open Championship which he entered on the back of more than $1 million in earnings from three European Tour events in as many weeks, yet this momentum couldnt get him firing overnight.
Playing alongside Fox, who is now ranked 95th in the world, was Matt Kuchar who showed him how its done, carding a clinical round of five-under par 65 to be in a tie for the lead at Royal Birkdale.
The weather is forecast to deteriorate in the second round, but Hendry and Fox could again get the best of it, with an earlier tee time that will suit Kiwi fans.
Hendry will tee off at 6:30pm and Fox 7:36pm New Zealand time and on Sky Sport.
Lydia Ko has also had a difficult start to defending her Marathon Classic on the LPGA tour this morning carding a two-over par 73 to sit in 105th place.
The scoring was of a very high standard with Gerina Piller recording an impressive eight-under 63 to put a lot of distance between her and Ko.
It was a quiet round for the world number four with just one birdie and three bogeys as she continues to remain winless in 2017.
Steve Alker was the shining light for New Zealand on the PGA Tour, but his light was quickly put out when play was suspended soon after Alker made five birdies in a row to be five-under through just six holes.
Alker who is the only Kiwi in the field was the hottest golfer at the Barbasol Championship and will be hurting after weather stopped his scintillating run.
- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Golf NZ
