Golf: Broadhurst in need of a party: Midlander seeks birthday honour

PAUL BROADHURST hopes that a change to his swing will bring him a birthday victory in the Hohe Brucke Austrian Open at Haugschlag on Sunday.

Broadhurst, unbeaten in his only two matches in the 1991 Ryder Cup, and always in the top 50 in his first five years on the European Tour, yesterday shot a first-round 67, one stroke behind the leader, Phil Golding, and it could prove the turning point of his year.

The stocky Midlander, who will be 29 on Sunday, has missed the cut in 10 of his last 12 tournaments as he has 'tried to do a Nick Faldo' and change his swing. 'I tried to become a more orthodox player but I've had a terrible time. This week I've thrown my orthodox swing out of the window and gone back to what I know best,' he said.

It certainly worked yesterday. After dropping a shot at the 11th hole, his second, Broadhurst had six birdies on his card to go to five under par. Only Golding, the touring professional at South Herts, had a better score and his 66, a course record, could have been lower had he not three-putted the seventh and 16th holes.

Golding said: 'This is my first year on the Tour and this is the lowest round I've shot in a full Tour event.'

Leading first round scores in the Hohe Brucke Austrian Open, Haugschlag (GB & Ire unless stated): 66 P Golding. 67 P Broadhurst, A Hare, M Piltz (Fin), S Bottomley. 68 B Barnes, G Ryall, R Goosen (SA), M Davis, A Lebouc (Fra), M Nichols, C Moody, I Spencer, P Walton. 69 I Garbutt, J Robson, N Henning (SA), M Besanceney (Fra), H Thul (Ger), B Malley (US), A Cejka (Ger), J Sewell. 70 M Poxon, A Collison, J Rystrom (Swe), R Rafferty, B Hughes (Aus), P Fowler (Aus), S Hamill, J Coceres (Arg), D A Russell. 71 K Waters, S Van Vuuren (SA), P Mayo, I Pyman, M Scarpa (Italy), R Drummond, E O'Connell, P Simpson, S Little, D Williams, N Godin, R Chapman, J McHenry, D Ray. 72 * M Brier (Aut), R Willison, T Levet (Fra), I Gervas (Spain), G Manson, N Fasth (Swe), S Watson, A Coltart, R Mann, D Borrego (Spain), M Zerman (Italy), M Parker, M Krantz (Swe). 73 C Jamnian (Thai), P Parkin, A Sorensen (Den), A Sherborne, P Haugsrud (Nor), C Suneson, J Wraith (Aut), Y Beamonte (Spain), P Linhart (Spain), J Rasmussen (Den), S Jones (US), A Hunter, G Ralph, M Inglis. * denotes amateur