Golf: Price rolls onward

PHILLIP PRICE maintained the form that won him the Portuguese Open 12 days ago as he shot a first-round 67 to lead the field in the Lyon Open yesterday.

Having led all the way to win in Portugal, the 27-year- old Welshman has now gone five successive rounds without being headed. 'I've been so tired I never thought I would play so well,' Price said after his five-under-par round.

'Since I won in Portugal I have done interviews for newspapers, television and radio, have been to two parties and made a four-hour drive to attend a wedding in Warrington. I did not hit another ball until Tuesday and I was just trying to get round today.'

Price got round so well that he had six birdies on his card. He was so accurate with his iron approaches that his longest putt was only 15 feet and four of his six birdies were gained from less than eight feet.

Price did enjoy the best of the weather. During the morning the course was buffeted by near gale-force winds and only two players, Eric Giraud of France (70) and Jim Payne (71) broke par.

Gabriel Hjertstedt of Sweden came in late in the day with a 68, one shot off the pace, while six players came home in 69, including Scotland's Gary Orr and Bristol's Andrew Sherborne.

LYON OPEN Leading first-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 67 P Price. 68 G Hjertstedt (Swe). 69 J Rasmusson (Den), W Riley (Aus), M Farry (Fr), M Besanceney (Fr), G Orr, A Sherborne. 70 E Giraud (Fr), A Cejka (Ger), D Gilford, B Marchbank, G J Brand, S Ames (Tri), A Hunter. 71 J Payne, R Willison, M Mouland, J-F Remesy (Fr), P Golding, K Jones, K Waters, D Williams, P Affleck, C Brooks, T Giedeon (Ger). 72 L White, P Walton, S Luna (Sp), I Garrido (Sp), H Thul (Ger), P Linhart (Sp), A Gillner (Swe), J Robinson, F Tarnaud (Fr).