Antalya, Turkey …
Not for a first occasion this season in-form David Drysdale finds himself the leading Scot and after a three-under par 68 on day one of the Turkish Airlines Open at Antalya.
Drysdale was struggling with tiredness early on in his round to be two-over par through six holes but regrouped with five birdies from his eighth to 16th hole in glorous conditions on the Regnum Carya course.
It left the Scot trailing four shots adrift of the leading trio of Dutchman Joost Luiten, Belgium’s big-hitting Nicolas Colsaerts and South African Haydn Porteous.
“I just wasn’t quite with it this morning,” said Drysdale.
David Drysdale again finds himself the leading Scot after a 68 on day one of the Turkish Airlines Open.
“I wasn’t quite awake and I didn’t sleep well. I don’t know, just took me a while to get going but I managed to cover my back nine really well.
“I’ve actually had a few rounds like that recently. Started poorly in the final round in the Dunhill on Sunday, ended up shooting three or four under but I put that down to a lack of concentration because two amateur partners were taking forever.
“Sometimes you’re patient, sometimes you’re not. You try to be. Keep calm and concentrate. Certainly if you lose the plot you’d bogey the next hole.”
Dyrsdale arrived in Antayla lying 48th on the Race to Dubai and while a first Tour title remains his big goal, securing a top-30 finish to 2017 is another his quest.
If so, it would ensure Drysdale earns automatic entry into next year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie.
“Theres three weeks are very important to me but then the goal now is to try and get into the top 30 in the Race to Dubai to get me into next year’s Open at Carnoustie,” he said
“I need a real big week or three good weeks to do that. So it’s important. It’s also a nice bonus at the end of the season. You want to do well. That’s the plan. I could have shot over par, so it’s nice to have ground it out, and I hit a lot of good shots.”
David Drysdale making a point after his opening round of the 2017 Turkish Airlines Open
The best Drysdale has been was 48th on last year’s Race to Dubai.
“I’ve never been near the top 30, ever and would love to play to play again in The Open,” he said.
“I played Turnberry in 2009 and also this year and it was amazing, the best event I’ve ever played in. You never want to spend the third week in July sitting on the couch do you?
“If you get a chance to make the top 30, like I have over these next three weeks, then you have to take it. I need some big weeks, it’s as simple as that. You have to beta all these guys but the fact I’m in the events gives me a chance.”
Stephen Gallacher is a shot further back after a round of two birdies and 16 pars but benfitting from a tip he picked-up reading the late John Jacobs book ‘Practical Golf’ and sent to him by uncle, Bernard Gallacher.
“I’ve got a lot of books, but I am dangerous when I read books. That’s why I stick to fiction rather than golf tuition.
“The reason Bernard sent me this one was at John Jacobs’ funeral, Butch Harmon spoke at it and said that everything he ever learned about the golf swing was out of John Jacob’s book.
“So Bernard said he’d buy it for me. I was already thinking about going back to fundamentals, having also had a look at Bob Torrance’s book.
“The golf swing hasn’t changed that much over the years. It’s the technology that has changed. Everything I’m trying to do is easier with a weak grip, even though it is a big change.
“I know that this way is going to allow me to enjoy my golf more again. We worked really hard on it last week and today has definitely given me a lot of confidence as you can only really find out about something when you are under pressure on the course.
“Once I said to Alan (McCloskey – coach) that I needed to weaken my right-hand grip, he said it was the answer as it has given me more loft, which is what I’ve been trying to do all my days.
“Everything comes down to fundamentals and that’s one of the main reasons I work with Alan as he os big on fundamentals. It’s about balance, set up, things that get overlooked.
“Tiger Woods, for instance, used to talk about how he’d take a couple of months off to go back to basics. If you don’t grip it right, don’t set up right or get a right ball position, then you are going to be aiming all over the shop. It definitely helps and I will be aiming to get everything regimented and nailed down over the winter.”
Richie Ramsay signed for a level par 71, Marc Warren a one-over 72 and Scott Jamieson a 73.
