Date: June 20, 2008
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O’Malley tied for BMW lead

Australian Peter O&aposMalley has taken a share of the first-round lead at the BMW International Open in Munich. O&aposMalley was one of four players to shoot six-under-par rounds of 66 to head the large field in the European Tour event. Sitting alongside him are South African Anton Haig, Singapore&aposs Mardan Mamat and Argentinean Rafa Echenique. Englishman David Lynn was seven-under after 14 holes but then, putting from off the green for eagle on the next, he sent it off the other side into a water hazard and finished with a double-bogey seven. “I felt like putting a noose round my neck and hanging myself up,” he said. Lynn eventually finished with a five-under 67, alongside compatriot Mark Foster, South African Thomas Aiken, Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and Argentinean Daniel Vancsik. Aussie Matthew Millar was among a large group of players who carded a three-under 69, while New Zealander Gareth Paddison was one stroke further back at two-under. Of the other Australasians, Peter Fowler is at one-under, Kiwis Mark Brown and Michael Campbell are even-par, while Aussie Rick Kulacz had a disastrous 11-over 83. Paul Casey reached five-under, but double-bogeyed the 16th after his pitch spun back in the water and three-putted the par-five last for another bogey. While he signed for a two-under, former Open champion John Daly fell back from four-under to level par after double-bogeys on the 14th and 16th. For the second of those Daly, winner of the title in 2001, went in the pond like Casey and after placing the ball by the side it then rolled back in. “Pretty much sums up the way things have been,” said the American, who is down to 592nd in the world and does not have a US Tour card any more. The globe-trotting O&aposMalley, 43 next Monday, was the first to come in with a pace-setting 66, but it was quickly matched by Haig, Mamat and Echenique. “I&aposm doing a lot more travelling now my kids are schooling in Australia,” said O&aposMalley, winner of the Scottish Open 16 years ago. “I play three weeks, go home for a couple and I&aposm just trying to manage my time better.” Order of Merit leader Miguel Angel Jimenez, sixth in the US Open on Sunday, had a hat-trick of late birdies for a 69. First Round Scores from the BMW International Open -6: Rafa Echenique 66, Anton Haig 66, Mardan Mamat 66, Peter O Malley (Australia) 66 -5: Thomas Aiken 67, Mark Foster 67, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet 67, David Lynn 67, Daniel Vancsik 67 -4: Benn Barham 68, Martin Kaymer 68, Soren Kjeldsen 68, Andrew McLardy 68, Alexander Noren 68, Graeme Storm 68 -3: Richard Finch 69, Retief Goosen 69, Anders Hansen 69, Peter Hedblom 69, David Howell 69, Miguel Angel Jimenez 69 Also: -3: Matthew Millar (Australia) 83 -2: Gareth Paddison (New Zealand) -1: Peter Fowler (Australia) 71 Par: Mark Brown (New Zealand) 72, Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 72 11: Rick Kulacz (Australia) 69