ST. ANDREWS, Scotland: Europe Ryder Cup vice captain Thomas Bjorn shot a 6-under 66 at St. Andrews to take a share of the first-round lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Thursday. Bjorn, one of captain Colin Montgomerie's five backups in the victory over America at Celtic Manor, led eight other members of the team in their return to strokeplay. The Links Championship was played over three courses, and Bjorn was tied at the top of the leaderboard with Ricardo Gonzalez of Argentina, who also played at St. Andrews, Maarten Lafeber of the Netherlands, who shot 66 at Carnoustie, and Martin Laird of Scotland, who produced the same score at Kingsbarns. Six players carded 67, and 14 more shot 68, including US PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer. Germany's Kaymer was closest to Bjorn at 4 under at Kingsbarns. England's Ross Fisher shot a 69 to get to within three shots of the leaders. However, Montgomerie could shoot only a par 72 as he attempts to restart his playing career after two years concentrating on the match against the Americans. Of the other Ryder Cup players, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood shot 70s, Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy 71s, Francesco Molinari 72, his brother Edoardo 73, and Peter Hanson 74. Harvey, Kang share lead In South Korea, Canada's Ron Harvey and Kang Sung-hoon of South Korea fired 4-under par 67s Thursday to share the first round lead at the fog-hit Korea Open, leaving 2009 PGA champion Y.E. Yang seven shots off the pace. Only 72 players out of a field of 138 were able to finish their rounds amid foggy conditions at the par-71 Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, where there was a three-hour delay to the start of play. South Korean Han Min-kyu stood one shot back after carding a 3-under 68. He was followed by three golfers, including amateur Bae Youn-ho, at 2-under. American Anthony Kim, who won the Houston Open and finished third at the Masters, was 4 over after 13 holes. Bae Sang-moon, the defending champion, was 1 under after 11 holes. Yang, who made headlines by defeating Tiger Woods at last year's PGA tournament, shot a 74. The tournament carries a total purse of 1 billion won ($896,000). Woods to play in Thailand Tiger Woods will play in a one-day skins tournament in Thailand next month. Organizers announced Thursday that Woods will return to his mother's home country for the first time in 10 years to compete in an event that was part of celebrations to mark King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 60th year on the Thai throne. England's Paul Casey, Colombia's Camilo Villegas and Thailand's top player Thongchai Jaidee are also competing in the event.
