Stenson leads '09 season-opener in China

Golf Betting Lines

11/06/2008 - Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Henrik Stenson fired a seven-under 65 to take the first-round lead Thursday at the HSBC Champions tournament, the European Tour's first event of the 2009 season.

Defending champion and world No. 2 Phil Mickelson led a four-way tie for second place at six-under 66. Joining him were world No. 3 Sergio Garcia, No. 8 Anthony Kim and No. 16 Adam Scott.

The star-studded field of 77 players took to Sheshan International Golf Club for the traditional early start to the European Tour's new season.

It kicked off the circuit's new Race to Dubai, the season-long money scramble that replaces the Order of Merit and ends in the most lucrative tournament in golf, the $10 million Dubai World Championship.

Robert Karlsson, who locked up his first Order of Merit title at last week's Volvo Masters -- the end of the 2008 season -- hit the first tee shot Thursday to kick off the new campaign. He finished with a 69 to share 14th place, and later spoke about beginning the tour's new season-long race.

"It is really exciting to start something new like this and it is a great honor to be the person given the chance to kick off this thrilling period in the European Tour's history," said Karlsson.

Ten of the top 20 players in the world rankings are on hand this week for a tournament that's being described by some as "Asia's major." The purse is $5 million, drawing the likes of Mickelson, Garcia, Scott and reigning British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington.

But it was Stenson, the five-time European Tour winner, who held the lead after a first round that included an eagle, six birdies and just one bogey.

Nearly all of the action in the 32-year-old Swede's round occurred on the first eight holes. He started off with a bogey on the first hole, but rebounded in a big way with an eagle at No. 2 and three consecutive birdies following that.

Stenson went on to birdie No. 8 to make the turn in just 31 shots, but he soon slowed down. Playing in a light fog and steady rain, Stenson collected six straight pars to start the back nine before making birdie at two of his last three holes to take the lead.

"It was a good day," said Stenson, "especially because I haven't been playing very good lately with the longer clubs."

Stenson wasn't the only player who took advantage of the front side of the course. Like the Swede, both Mickelson and Kim were able to pick up eagles at the 550-yard second hole.

Mickelson, Kim and Scott each stumbled to bogeys in the rounds, while Garcia was able to make it around the course without one. The third-ranked Spaniard has a mathematical shot to supplant Mickelson at No. 2 in the rankings behind injured Tiger Woods, although it would take a top-three finish coupled with a poor finish from Mickelson for that to happen.

With his good start Thursday, Mickelson -- who won in a three-way playoff last year for only his second career victory outside the United States -- looked unlikely to stumble that badly.

Marc Cayeux and Oliver Wilson shared sixth place behind Mickelson's group at five-under 67.

Overall, there were 27 players within five shots of Stenson's lead, including notables Ian Poulter (68), Harrington (69) and Geoff Ogilvy (70).