Victorious Ryder Cup winning rookie Victor Dubuisson was in need of urgent on-course medical treatment on day two of the Turkish Airlines Open.
The French golfing ace suffers from allergies and was overcome with a nose bleed from his right nostril before play in the $US 7m event was halted at 12.04pm local time with the threat of thunderstorms in the region of the Montgomerie Maxx Royal course at Belek.
England’s Ian Poulter had picked up five shots in 14 holes to move one shot clear on the field on 14-under par in the third of the European Tour’s Final Four Series.
Victor Dubuisson in discomfort during Thursday’s opening round of 77. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golflfile.ie)
South African Brendon De Jonge was in second place on 10-under par after 13 holes and with first round leader Miguel Angel Jimenez dropping two shots to fall back into a share of fifth place on eight under par.
Defending Turkish Airlines Open champion Dubuisson had fought back from a horror opening score of 77 to manage six birdies but also half as many bogeys to move to two over par after 13 holes.
However the Frenchman was clearly in some discomfort with blood streaming from his nostril and onto his shirt that he later changed before play was halted.
Dubuisson was attended to by a doctor on the fourth hole who issued him with some medicine and then was observed with a tissue stuck in his nostril to stem the blood flow.
“It’s not good and I didn’t feel well at all,” was his only words as he fled to the safety of the clubhouse when a siren sounded to halt play.
However there was comfort for Dubuisson when he played a superb 60-yard bunker shot from short of the green to a few feet for birdie at the 10th hole.
In contrast, Poulter is delighted with his continuing efforts having capped his morning round in holing a 40-foot putt for birdie at the 11th hole that put him into the lead in the $US 7m event.
Poulter even had time to feed a couple of ducks that had made their way onto the ninth fairway.
“I looked at the forecast and the storm was due to hit about one o’clock and it’s come a little early,” he said.
“But in the time we were out there before the stoppage I played nicely and continued to hole some good putts.
“With the wind starting to blow really hard it was getting on near impossible out there, so it was the right decision to halt play.”
With the threat of continuing afternoon thunderstorms the Tour is uncertain when play will resume.
