Broadhurst Feels the Celadna Heat

Englishman Paul Broadhurst had more reasons than most to celebrate making the cut at the Czech Open, having come close to withdrawing from the €1.5million event after collapsing on the street on Wednesday night. 

The six-time European Tour winner completed a remarkable turnaround in his fortunes on Saturday morning by birdieing the final hole of his second round at Prosper Golf Resort in Čeladná, the Czech Republic, to squeeze under the cut line on two over par.

That scenario had looked unlikely when Broadhurst collapsed with a suspected case of heatstroke in the nearby town of Ostrava on the eve of the tournament, and had to be rushed to hospital. 

Once there, he was placed on a drip for three hours and assessed by medical staff, before being released and given clearance to tee up in the tournament. 

He said: “It was just a run-of-the-mill evening really. I’d only had a small glass of beer and was just waiting for my food to arrive, when all of a sudden I started feeling really unwell. I went outside to get some fresh air and ended up passing out for about 20 minutes, then when I came round I was in an ambulance on the way to hospital. So it wasn’t exactly ideal preparation for the tournament!

“I had a lot of tests done on my heart rate and blood pressure, and everything came back normal. So they thought it was probably sunstroke, because I’d be out in the blazing heat for around four hours on Wednesday afternoon. Obviously I was taking fluids on board, but I didn’t take enough on and got a bit dehydrated as well. 

“I didn’t get too much sleep on Wednesday night, but when I arrived at the course on Thursday morning I figured I might as well give it a go. I got off to a reasonable start and managed to keep it going, and although I threw a few bogeys and doubles in here and there – mainly due to a loss of concentration and feeling a bit tired – I managed to make the weekend, so it’s all been worthwhile. Now I’ve just got to start climbing up the leaderboard.”

Lawrie Prospers in Round One

There was no shortage of green splashed across the top of the leaderboard at the Czech Open today, as a trio of Irishmen staked an early claim for the title. Peter Lawrie holds the outright lead on six-under-par and is closely followed by Damien McGrane, Shane Lowry and Paul McGinley at the Prosper Golf Resort.

Lawrie, who did not drop a shot, credited a new putting technique with helping him to the fore in Celadna. Last year’s runner-up is now on course to go one better following a change to his putting style he first attempted in the Irish Open at the end of last month when he finished eighth.

“I played lovely golf,” said the 37-year-old from Dublin, whose only European Tour win was in the Open de Espana just over three years ago. “No bogeys, which always helps. A couple of nice up-and-downs when I really needed them — on two and three — my 11th and 12th.

“Every chance I gave myself from short range, I holed it, though I missed about a 10-footer at the last. But everything went according to plan. I’ve been playing quite steady all year, holing a few nice putts in Ireland. I did one or two things different in Ireland with my putting which seemed to work, and it’s working well out here as well.”

Starting at the 10th hole, Lawrie conjured birdies in three of the last five — the fifth, sixth and eighth on the course — to propel him into the lead.

Lawrie is followed on five under by McGrane, Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, in only his second year as a pro on the European tour, and Spain’s Pedro Oriol.

McGrane, who dropped only one shot in his round, said: “The scoring conditions are perfect so it’s possible to create a lot of chances.

“But creating them is one thing, converting them quite another. So to make six birdies and just the one bogey was very pleasing. It’s probably going to be a low-scoring week because the greens are in fantastic condition, so I’ll have to keep making those birdies.”

Lowry stands at four under, with the highlight of his round being an eagle at the 576-yard, par-five fifth.

Lowry said: “Since I had a good finish at Wentworth I haven't really done too much, and that's purely down to my putting, because I've been playing quite nicely from tee to green. When you're not putting well, it tends to affect the rest of your game, because you tend to try to force the issue and attack the pins too much.

“So it was pleasing to roll a few putts in today, and I just hope it continues for the rest of the week now.

"I saw that Peter and Damien were right up there coming down the last, so it was a very nice surprise. Let's hope we're battling it out on the final day, although there's a long way to go.”

He was joined by Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg, who chalked up four birdies on the back nine to help make amends for a double-bogey six at the third.

At one stage another Swede in Fredrik Ohlsson was poised to be amongst the leaders when he made six birdies in seven holes, only to drop four shots in two holes late on and finish on one under.

Scottish trio Gary Orr, Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale, along with McGinley, are amongst a host of players on three under.

The leading player in the field and course co-designer, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, was facing a fight to make the cut after a four-over-par round of 76.

Leaderboard