HONG KONG — Defending champion Rory McIlroy finished nine shots behind Spanish leader Javier Colomo after the first round of the Hong Kong Open Thursday. McIlroy admitted to feeling lethargic as he carded a 3-over-par 73. Colomo, ranked 506th, recorded a career-best 6-under 64 in overcast and windy conditions on the suburban Fanling course. That earned him a one-stroke lead over fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez and Australia's Andrew Dodt, who scored 65s. The 48-year-old Jimenez would break his own record as oldest Hong Kong champion from 2008, and oldest ever winner on the European Tour if he were to capture the title a third time this weekend. Countryman Jose Maria Olazabal also put himself in the frame to end a seven-year winless drought on the tour in playing alongside Jimenez and being among five players signing for 67s. Olazabal also won in Hong Kong, in 2002. McIlroy bogeyed his first hole and made his only birdie at the par-5, third hole. He dropped a shot at the sixth after being forced to play his second shot left-handed from beside a bush, and bogeyed 14 and 15. “I just lacked a bit of energy out there, I felt a bit lethargic and mentally more than physically, if I am being honest,” he said. McIlroy believes he's just going through a comedown after securing the tour money title last weekend in Singapore. Colomo found everything in synch in his Hong Kong Open debut. He began his round from the 11th hole and after 10 straight pars he stormed to the top of the board with six birdies over his closing eight holes. Scott, Poulter lurk in Melbourne Defending champion Ian Poulter and Adam Scott fired an ominous warning to their rivals Thursday, carding 67s to lurk just two shots off the lead after the first round of the Australian Masters. Little-known Australian Matthew Guyatt was the surprise early leader, hitting a seven-under-par 65 in benign conditions at Kingston Heath in Melbourne. Fellow Australian Adam Scott and England's Poulter, tied for second with New Zealand's Michael Hendry, were disappointed they did not take full advantage of the easy conditions despite their solid showings. Poulter's only blemish came at the 16th hole where he said he “made a pig's ear of it” before making an up-and-down for bogey from 60 yards. World number five Scott, chasing his first tournament win of the year, felt he could have shot nine or 10 under but for a frustrating number of birdie putts lipping out on his front nine. But the Australian made amends on the back nine, coming home in five-under 31. Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell shot 71 and said playing partner Scott made the course look extremely easy. Guyatt said his game had benefited from the input of sports psychologist Karl Morris, who works with a number of the game's leading players, including McDowell. A group of six Australian players were tied for fifth, including Peter O'Malley, a three-time winner on the European Tour. — Agencies
