Scott Jamieson produced his a second stequal-lowest start of the new season to be just a shot off the lead with a five-under 67 on day one of the Oman Open in Muscat.
Jamieson took a big bite out of Greg ‘Great White Shark’ Norman designed Al Mouj course with five birdies in a bogey-free display to lead the big contingent of 11 Tartan golfers.
The effort, and coming after a first round 67 in his last event at the Saudi International, left Jamieson tied in second with Japan’s Yusaku Miyazato.
Las Vegas-based Kurt Kitayama, and winner this year of the Mauritius Open, heads the field in snatching an eagle and four birdies in a six-under par 66.
Scott Jamieson posts a round of 67to be one off the lead after the opening day of the Oman Open
Jamieson was one-under through 11 holes thanks to a birdie at seven but then birdied three in succession from the 12th to race to four-under par and then went to five-under when he birdied the par-4 17th for an inward half of 32.
The Scot arrived in Oman for a first time in his career having five events on the new 2018/19 wraparound European Tour schedule with a best of T3rd in December’s Alfred Dunhill Championship.
Jamieson’s last event was in posting an opening three-under par 67 at the inaugural Saudi Invitational but he then missed the cut with a 75.
He said: “It was a great day, five under, but I didn’t feel like I played particularly well.
“Bogey free, which is always good. I had five birdies so it was a lovely start.
“I drove it well and putted well. I didn’t hit my irons particularly close but I think that’s difficult to do round here. The greens are firm with a lot of run-offs, you find yourself playing away from the flags.
“You can’t go for it here. You can hit some really good shots which would just run off the side of the green and then you’ll have a really tough up-and-down. You need to stay patient, play away from the flags and hope you can hole some putts.”
Borders David Drysdale faced the toughest of the conditions to be among the late finishers.
“Double D” moved to four under through 14 holes but dropped two shots over his closing four holes in a round of 70.
Drumoig’s Conor Syme, who was the very last player into the Oman event, went out in four-under par, including a monster birdie at the par-4 ninth hole.
Syme then had bunker woes at the 13th going from one sand-trap to another in taking bogey before a second dropped shot of his round at the 15th on route also for a disappointing two-under par score.
OTHER SCOTTISH SCORES –
70 – Richie Ramsay
71 – Paul Lawrie
72 – Stephen Gallacher, Grant Forrest, Robert MacIntyre
75 – David Law, Liam Johnston
77 – Marc Warren
