Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scor

O&N HOME | NFL MLB NBA NHL NCAAF NCAABk Nascar Golf Soccer Tennis Boxing Horse Racing All Sports

Allenby leads by one in Dubai

Thu 19th, November 2009

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (Sports Network) - Robert Allenby fired a seven- under 65 Thursday to grab a one-stroke lead after the first round of the inaugural Dubai World Championship.

Only the top four players on the Race to Dubai list -- Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher -- can win the bonus money from that race.

Westwood, No. 2 in the Race standings, had a chance to tie for the lead, but missed his birdie putt on 18 on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The Englishman opened with a six-under 66 and shares second place with Camilo Villegas and Chris Wood.

McIlroy, the Race to Dubai leader, posted a four-under 68 and is tied for fifth. He was joined there by Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington, Thomas Aiken and Wen-chong Liang.

Allenby had a steady round with three birdies on the front nine. Around the turn, he birdied three of the first four holes from the 10th to jump into a share of the lead at six-under.

The Australian, who hasn't won on the European Tour since the 1996 British Masters, stumbled to a bogey on the 14th, but came back with a 10-foot birdie putt on the 16th. He grabbed the lead with a birdie on the par-five 18th.

"I hit it pretty good. I think I missed just one green, which was 17, where I was in between clubs with my approach," Allenby stated. "I made a lot of putts, but also missed a few too. But, you shoot 65, especially in the opening round, it is a good score."

Westwood did all of his scoring in two stretches. He parred the first six holes before collecting four birdies in a five-hole span from the seventh.

After dropping a shot on the 14th, Westwood reeled off three consecutive birdies from the 15th to get within one of the lead. He had a chance to gain a share of the lead, but missed a birdie effort from inside 10 feet on 18.

"I played really good out there. I was really patient over those first six holes and hit a lot of good shots. I just struggled to make anything," said Westwood of his opening run of six pars. "I knew if I was patient and kept hitting it the way I was, birdies would come."

Villegas notched the lone bogey-free round of the top four on the leaderboard. He started with back-to-back birdies from the second. The Colombian also birdied seven and 10 to move to minus-four, then finished one back thanks to birdies on 16 and 17.

Wood, like Westwood, did his scoring in bunches. He birdied one and two before faltering to a bogey on the third. The 21-year-old recovered that lost stroke with a birdie on the fifth.

From there, Wood parred six straight holes before catching fire. He closed with four consecutive birdies to finish at minus-six.

As for the Race to Dubai, Westwood will capture that title with a win in this event. He could also claim the Race with a second-place finish as long as McIlroy doesn't tie him for second and Kaymer doesn't win this title.

McIlroy, who played with Westwood in the first round, notched five birdies and a bogey in his round of 68.

The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland can win the Race to Dubai regardless of his finish position, if Westwood is outside the top seven, Kaymer the top four and Fisher the top two. If McIlroy wins the Race to Dubai, he would be the youngest Order of Merit champion since then 19-year-old Seve Ballesteros won it in 1976.

Kaymer is tied for 22nd at minus-one, while Fisher is well off the pace at plus-one.