French golfer Victor Dubuisson confessed he could think of nothing else but becoming the first European Tour player to shoot a 59 on day one of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Dubuisson, 22 had moved to 10-under par with three holes to play on the Old Course of St. Andrews, and one of three courses hosting the $US 5m event.
 Victor Dubussion delights his amateur partner and girlfriend in breaking the Old Course record on day one of the 2012 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Photo – John Stewart) |
| However the former No.1 ranked Amateur in the world sent his second shot at the par four, 16th to the back of the green and with his ball ending in rough from where he took a bogey.
But despite his disappointment the Cannes-born golfer then pared his remaining two holes to established a new Old Course record of a 10-under par 62 and one fewer than the 63 posted by current World No. 1 Rory McIlroy during the 2010 Open Championship and a score also shared by the England duo of Luke Donald and Simon Dyson.“It’s very special as I had 10-under par in Italy last year but today I could have done better,” said Dubuisson. “I’m not saying that 10-under is really bad. It’s my best score I have ever played but it’s just that my longest putt was five metres. “I was 11-under par on my 16th hole and hit it perfect and then my second took a big bounce over the back of the green, like in long grass, I had no chip and made a bad bogey. “But then before that I thought about a 59 and with a few holes to play that’s all I was thinking about so to have a bogey on 16 was disappointing, and no 59.” And Dubuisson’s round was helped by his extensive knowledge of the Old Course given he once resided in an apartment overlooking the world’s most famous golf course. “I’ve played the Old Course about 30 times so I do know it really well,” he said. “So I know when to be aggressive and when to play safe. “But given how many stars of golf have played this course, like Tiger Woods it’s very special for me to shoot a 62 here.” Dubuisson ended the opening day in second place and two shots behind South Africa’s Branden Grace who signed for a course record 12-under par 60 at the nearby Kingsbarns course. Grace’s round was two strokes fewer than Lee Westwood’s 62 on route to victory in 2003. Frenchman Gregory Havret and England’s Oliver Wilson shared the best round of five under par 67s at Carnoustie. |
