Oosthuizen rides wave of confidence

(EPA)

The Louis Oosthuizen show kept on rolling yesterday after the new Open champion swapped St Andrews for Stockholm and starred again.

Not wanting to give a poor display – and fearing he might after failing to break par in the curtain-raising pro-am – Oosthuizen fired a five-under 67 to share the lead after the first round of the Scandinavian Masters at Bro Hof.

The 27-year-old South African, a runaway seven-shot winner at the Home of Golf on Sunday, admits he is looking forward to going home next week, but it might be with another title under his belt.

Only Australian left-hander Richard Green and American Dustin Johnson – the player who blew the US Open with a closing 82 last month – could match his effort.

"I had a good sleep, but I woke up tired again and the win has definitely drained me," said Oosthuizen. "But the crowds were unbelievable, cheering me onto every green and tee. I wanted to play nicely. The last thing I wanted was to put on a bad show."

The Claret Jug holder kicked off with a birdie, followed with eight pars and then came home in a superb 32. That even included a trip to the water on the long 13th, but he came back with birdies at the next two and finished in style with a 30-footer for another.

Welshman Phillip Price believes Colin Montgomerie has selected three top-class vice-captains for October's Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. On Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn he said after an opening 70: "I think he made three really good picks. It would have been nice to be involved but Colin has chosen the people he thinks can do the best job."