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Golf: Rose's misery cut and dried

Friday 23 October 1998 23:02 BST
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JUSTIN ROSE'S hopes for a change of luck in Australia were dashed when he missed the cut at the South Australian Open in Adelaide yesterday.

Rose, 18, who burst on to the world scene with joint-fourth place at the Open in July, has struggled since turning professional. He failed to make the cut in all his six appearances on the European Tour and did not break the run at the Kooyonga Golf Club course with rounds of 77 and 76.

Rose's 36-hole total of a 9-over-par 153 was four too many to qualify and 15 behind the halfway leader, Nathan Green of Australia. Green, in his first tournament as a professional, took a one-shot lead over his compatriot Matthew King after shooting a second 69 on the par-72 course for 138. Green had to qualify for the South Australian Open after finishing 66th at the Tour school. With German Open champion Stephen Allan in third it gave Australia the top three spots at 4-under.

"Coming in I was just trying to make the cut, it's just a big bonus to be where I am now," Green said. "I'm very nervous, I'm a little uncomfortable. I have never been near this sort of situation, it's my first time as a professional."

In Florida, Duffy Waldorf enjoyed a near-perfect round, carding 10 birdies en-route to a 9-under-par 63 for a three-stroke lead after one round of the PGA National Car Rental Classic at Lake Buena Vista.

Waldorf led Tiger Woods, Sweden's Jesper Parnevik and Len Mattiace by three shots and John Huston, Larry Nelson and Rocco Mediate by four.

"It's been a great year for me," Woods said after his 6-under-par 66 left him tied for second. "I'm very pleased at my development over the entire year, how much improvement I've made. I'd like to end it on a good note."

Scotland's Sandy Lyle is eight shots off the pace after carding an opening 71 - alongside last week's World Matchplay winner, Mark O'Meara.

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