Scott Jamieson set about cementing a place in all three Majors next year with a five under par 66 and one shot off the lead on the opening day of the Portugal Masters.
Seven players – Chilean Felipe Aguilar, Ireland’s Simon Thornton, Welshman Jamie Donaldson, Germany’s Max Kieffer and the England pair of David Lynn and Graeme Storm – head the field with six under par 65s.
Jamieson went within an inch of new motor at his fourth hole on route to a haul of five birdies and in an equal second best starting score all season
Scott Jamieson looking for a second Tour win this year and playing in three of the four Majors in 2014. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“Any round with no bogeys is always nice and five under par is about the worst it could have been,” he said.
“The longest putt I holed all day was a par of about 10 feet on the sixth hole and I felt as though it could have easily been a lot lower.
“Also at the 13th or my fourth hole I hit a 6-iron that just came up short of a hole-in-one and a new Citreon that would have been nice.
“But while I’m delighted with the score as I am feeling tired after last week’s Seve Trophy.”
Jamieson arrived on The Algarve lying 110th on the World Rankings and 27th on the Race to Dubai.
A top of the board finish this week would send the Scot inside the top-100 and well inside the top-20 on the European Tour money list heading into the season-ending four event Final Series.
If so, it would see Jamieson for a second straight year play in three of the four Majors and still leaving the former Augusta State University graduate the Masters to complete his wish list.
“I won my first Tour title in the very first event of the year, so it would be nice if I could win again before the year’s out,” added Jamieson
“That’s always the goal every week but now that we are coming to the end of the year I’m looking for a strong finish and finishing the Race to Dubai top-15 that would qualify me for three of the four majors.
“There ‘s the US Open, The Open and PGA and leaving just the Masters that is still the one Major I’m longing to play.”
And following Jamieson about the course was pregnant wife, Natalie who is expecting the couples first child in January.
Fellow Glaswegian Chris Doak finished a shot back and delighted with a 68 on debut in the event, and as the 35-year old strives to hold onto his card.
“It’s a great start. I said to myself at the start of the week, two or three under each day is a very good foundation and four-under is one better, so pleased with that,” said Doak
Doak arrived in Portugal lying 112th on the Race to Dubai and two spots shy of retaining his Tour card and with just one event in Australia next week to break into the top-110.
However Doak teed-up looking to forget about the pressure of holding on the card
“I’m just totally relaxed and that showed today,” he said.
“I’m just trying to be the total opposite for the rest of the season compared to much of the year
“I put a bit too much pressure on myself so just trying to relax this week and wherever the ball goes, it goes. Ian Rae, my coach keeps saying this is the game of opposites”.
