Woosnam stays in touch

Golf

Ian Woosnam had an eagle at the final hole to finish the first round of the Heineken Classic in Perth, Western Australia, on 69, leaving him three shots behind the leaders, Wayne Smith of Australia and New Zealand's Greg Turner.

The Welshman, fresh from his victory in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Singapore on Sunday, improved by 12 shots on his opening round here two years ago, when he missed the cut.

England's Mark Davis and Gary Evans and Scotland's Adam Hunter all shot 68s, with Ireland's Paul McGinley, the English pair Jonathon Lomas and Steven Bottomley and another Welshman, Mark Litton, all joining Woosnam on 69. Smith's six-under-par round of 66 included seven birdies and one bogey - a feat matched by Turner later in a day of fierce heat.

Greg Norman laboured to a one-over-par 73 while the Open champion, John Daly, ignored the temptation to unleash his driver on his way to a composed 71.

HEINEKEN CLASSIC (Perth, WA) Leading first-round scores (Aus unless stated): 66 W Smith, G Turner (NZ). 67 R Gibson (Can). 68 M Davis (Eng), G Evans (Eng), A Hunter (Sco). 69 S Laycock, D Hill, M Litton (Wal), R Pampling, C Jones, J Lomas (Eng), E Mizuguchi (Japan), P McGinley (Irl), B Hughes, I Woosman (Wal), F Nobilo (NZ), S Bottomley (Eng), D Fardon. 70 R Stephens, A Sherborne (Eng), D Smail (NZ), M Harwood, R McFarlane (Eng), M Goggin, B Ogle, S Richardson (Eng), S Tait, C Dennis (US), M Jonzon (Swe), S Owen (NZ), R Boxall (Eng), S Ames (Trin) A Painter, P O'Malley, R Green, D Robertson (Sco), L Wastle. 71 M Roberts, J Senior, J Townsend (US), A Stoltz, D Cole, E Droop, K Valentine, J Daly (US), R Willis, I Pyman (Eng), S Bouvier, O Rojahn (Nor), P Price (Wal), W Grady, P Haugsrud (Nor), D Bransdon, S Leanay, S Porch. Selected: 72 G Orr (Sco), A Coltart (Sco), P Eales (Eng), R Chapman (Eng), R Burns (N Irl). 73 S Webster (Eng), G Norman (Aus), D Clarke (N Irl), D Carter (Eng), J Payne (Eng), P Baker (Eng). 74 L Westwood (Eng), P Affleck (Wal), S Cage (Eng), R Rafferty (N Irl). 75 D Russell (Eng), B Jackson (Eng). 76 R Claydon (Eng). 77 P Broadhurst (Eng), M McLean (Eng).