A jet-lagged Scott Jamieson took more delight in stealing Richie Ramsay’s thunder by setting a new course record on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Jamieson was out early posting a blemish-free nine-under-par 63 on the Yas Links course and designed by American Kyle Phillips who also laid out Kingsbarns Links in Fife.
The Glaswegian’s effort in his 300th Tour event is a shot more than Ramsay’s 62 in the 2012 Emirates Airlines Invitational, a former pro/amateur event held on a Monday in between the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and Dubai Desert Classic.
However, Ramsay set the course record of a 10-under-par 62 decade ago in contesting the 2012 Emirates Airline Abu Dhabi Invitational but since then the Kyle Phillips designed course has been lengthed by 338-yards to 7,425-yards.
And when Jamieson was reminded by the Daily Record he’d broken Ramsay’s record a big smile broke out on his face and he punched his right fist declaring: “Yeah! I knew Richie had the record. So, I’ll rub it in when I see him later today (smiling).
“Seriously though you never really know in the first event of the year what game you are going to tun-up with but then I have been playing socially back home in Florida the last couple of weeks and the game has been decent
“Though it’s never the same with a competition scorecard in your back pocket, given the pressure is on but thankfully I have always been able to handle it, so delighted with my start
“When I stood on the first tee I had no idea what score I was going to shoot and besides I was suffering a bit of jet lag, waking up about 3.30 am and for a morning round it was a long time to think about how you were going to play.
“So, to shoot nine-under-par is a phenomenal start”.
Jamieson singled out the pick of his nine birdies being the par-4 fourth hole in holing a 12-footer but holed a near 100-foot putt for birdie at the 12th.
And Jamieson needed no reminding Yas Links was designed by Kyle Phillips who also designed the famed Kingsbarns Links in Fife.
He said: “Kingsbarns Links is a great golf course and hopefully this week’s Scottish connection can lead to a win.
“For me, it’s like playing in Scotland but it’s warm (smiling) so maybe this week can be the best of both worlds for me.
“This is a stunning-looking golf course, it’s a great design. It is interesting around the greens as there is a lot of slopes and we have wind forecasted for the second round.”
The next best of the 11 Scots is top-ranked Robert MacIntyre with his old caddy Greg Milne on the bag for just this week, and the two combining for a three-under-par 69.
Ramsay posted a 71 while eight-time European No. 1 Colin Montgomerie was up to his old tricks telling fans to either stand still or be quiet, while he delivered a loud ‘shoosh’ on the seventh green on route to a 73.
Poor light meant some 15 players did not get to finish their first round.
