A HOT and humid day produced mixed fortunes for the 10 Irishmen in the £400,000 FNB Players Championship in Durban yesterday as three players from different corners of the earth took the lead on the opening day. David Feherty and Paul McGinley were the pick of the Irish, with three under par rounds of 69, but it was South African Wayne Westner, Argentinian Jose Coceres and Trinidadian Stephen Ames who look down on the rest from the top of the leaderboard as they all posted rounds of 66.
Westner, who finished second to Nick Faldo in the 1993 Irish Open, set the early pace as he continued his good form of this year's tour.
The 32 year old Coceres produced six birdies without a drop in a blameless round.
Feherty and McGinley both made shaky starts by dropping a shot on the first hole. McGinley went on to produce a mixed bag with three more bogeys although accurate approach shots and some fine putting gave him five birdies and an eagle at the par five eight.
Feherty dropped another at the 17th, but in between played very well to confirm his return to the big time after two years in the wilderness.
"I am in control of my game now," he said. "Every time I stand over the ball, I have a vague idea of where it's going, which is a fantastic feeling to have again."
One shot behind the three leaders lies a group of four on 67, another five on 68 and a pack of 11, including Feherty, McGinley and tournament favourite, Ernie Els on 69.
Des Smyth was one under on 71, while Ronan Rafferty, John McHenry, Eamon Darcy, David Higgins and Padraig Harrington all came home at level par 72. Darren Clarke again proved that power is nothing without control as he went round in 76, while Francis Howley learned some of the harsh realities of professional golf in wretched round of 81.
