DOHA // A holed eight iron from 182 yards in a capricious wind was the outstanding shot of a testing opening day of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, enabling Robert Karlsson to set the early pace in what promises to be a much tougher tournament than last week's Abu Dhabi Championship. Karlsson was overjoyed with that bonus eagle on the 470-yard 15th to go with his four birdies - he gave one back at the seventh - in assembling a score of 68. He achieved a remarkable feat of hitting all 18 greens in regulation.
"I didn't see the ball after it landed because of a mound at the front of the green," said Karlsson who was eventually overtaken late in the afternoon by Oliver Wilson and Bradley Dredge. "When I got up there I could see only one ball and I knew it wasn't mine so that was when I realised it had gone in." It was good to see Karlsson firing on all cylinders again after a frustrating 2009 followed his cherished accomplishment of becoming the first Swedish player to win the European Tour's Order of Merit in 2008.
Double vision caused by fluid behind the retina in his left eye brought about a sharp decline in fortunes which led to him arriving here with modest world ranking of 27. It could have been an even better round for the tall Swede, who missed a couple of birdie opportunities, but he was not complaining because he was looking at bogey on several occasions but benefited from better than expected lies in the clinging rough.
Camilo Villegas was disappointed to ship his only shot of the day on the final green, while world No 13, Sergio Garcia, was pleased to card just two bogeys. "I feel like I played decent, hit two or three terrible shots, but other than that it was a good day," said the Spaniard.
