Former winner Brett Rumford recovered from an unnerving start to charge into the lead after the European Masters opening round Thursday. The 32-year-old Australian sent his tee shot into the crowd at the first hole and struck a female spectator. Shaken by the incident, he slipped to two-over-par by the fifth before rattling off nine birdies and an eagle in the next 13 holes to post a 62. The nine-under score, which would have equalled the course record but for the fact preferred-lies were being used, left 2007 champion Rumford a stroke clear of Briton Simon Dyson and three ahead of a large group in third place. “I leaked my drive right and my ball hit the lady right on the bridge of her eye and she was taken to hospital,” Rumford told reporters. “I felt really bad about it. They took her off for treatment before I actually got to see her but I got a report on the second hole. “At that point I wasn't thinking a nine-under score was on the cards but momentum started swinging in the right direction and I got the putter running hot,” added Rumford. While the Australian was focusing on trying to win his fourth European Tour title, Dyson was among a host of players beginning the campaign to earn enough points to qualify for next year's Ryder Cup. Englishman Dyson has never played in the biennial team event and was delighted to be in top form, having won the Dutch Open two weeks ago. “I probably should have got closer to a Ryder Cup place than I have done,” he said. “I'm probably as confident now as I've ever been.” Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez, 45, three-time a Ryder Cup player, was on 65 alongside Thai Thongchai Jaidee, Swedes Christian Nilsson and Alexander Noren, Briton Danny Willett and Argentine Andres Romero. Last year's runner-up Rory McIlroy began in spectacular style with a birdie and an eagle-two but found it hard to pick up shots after that and had to settle for a 67. Tournament favorite Lee Westwood got off to a slow start, shooting a 71. This week's $2.8 million tournament in the Swiss Alps is the first in Europe to be co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour. OneAsia takes shape OneAsia's second event tees off in South Korea next week and despite the obstacles faced of launching a new venture in the middle of an economic crisis, golf's newest tour is delighted with its early progress. Formed by founding members the PGA of Australia, China Golf Association, Korea Golf Tour and the Korea Golf Association, the series has a five-tournament schedule in 2009 which it hopes to increase to around 20 within two years. “Our talks and our vision was about trying to create something that ultimately would allow the best players in the Asia-Pacific to stay in the region,” PGA Tour of Australia commissioner Ben Sellenger told Reuters. “So that our best players from Sydney, Delhi or Seoul don't get to a certain stage in their career and feel the need to move on to another tour.” The concept took its first steps to becoming a reality in April when the series held its opening event with the China Open in Beijing.
