Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka made a 10-under 62 to send Germany to the top of the table after the first round fourball competition at the 5.5 million USD Omega Mission Hills Golf World Cup on Thursday.
The pair displayed their talents with good combination on the Olazabal course and enjoy the one stroke lead over second-placed Australia. Spain, Canada and the United States are two shots behind, while four other teams - New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden are three strokes back.
Kaymer got three successive birdies from the first hole before Cejka added another on the fourth. Kaymer then notched an excellent eagle three on the seventh, putting home from over 70 feet before picking another shot on the ninth to secure Germany the turn at 7-under.
Kaymer added two birdies then, while Cejka contributed one more.
"We had a really good start today," said Kaymer. "We were seven under after nine holes and kept playing well on the back nine and finished 10 under. That is a very good score because it was windy out there and it was a little bit tougher than last year."
"That eagle putt was one of the longest putts I've ever made," Kaymer said. "It was over a huge ridge."
Defending champion Scotland combined a mediocre 4-under 68.
Home favourites Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong only managed a 3-under 69. Zhang made a big mistake at the 18th hole, firing a double bogey.
"I should have been more calm before the stroke, but I was so hasty that I made the terrible mistake," said Zhang Lianwei.
"But there are three days to go, and we are confident to do something in the foursomes (alternate-shot). It needs good combination of the pair and I think things will be much different tomorrow."
(Xinhua News Agency November 27, 2008)
