After oversleeping, Larrazabal shoots 67 at Indian Open
NEW DELHI (AP) Pablo Larrazabal awoke with a start, just 38 minutes before his tee-off time in the first round of the Indian Open.
He had a ''10-second shower,'' a wild car ride through the streets of Delhi, and hit just 10 balls on the range before dashing to his first hole, the 10th. The disrupted preparation didn't seem to affect him.
With adrenaline pumping through his body, the Spanish golfer made nine birdies along with two bogeys and a double to shoot 5-under 67 on Thursday.
Larrazabal was tied for second place with Paul Peterson and Matteo Manassero, two shots behind leader Emiliano Grillo.
Larrazabal said his phone reverted to Spanish time overnight, meaning his alarm didn't go off, and he needed a wake-up call by a European Tour official.
''Waking up this morning, I didn't think I was going to make it,'' Larrazabal said. ''Delhi's traffic is quite tough. I got lucky that we didn't have traffic.''
Searching for his first European Tour victory, Grillo started and finished his round with birdies and had six more in between at the tough DLF Golf and Country Club.
Two days after receiving a special invitation to play in the Masters at Augusta, Shubhankar Sharma had wildly contrasting nines but recovered for a 1-over 73 on his home course.
Starting on the back nine, Sharma shot 41 with three bogeys and a double bogey. But he came back on his final nine to shoot 32, with four birdies.
Sharma held the 54-hole lead in his first World Golf Championship appearance last week, in Mexico. He finished tied for ninth after a closing 74.
Sharma was at No. 462 in the world three months ago when he shot 61 in the second round and won the Joburg Open. He closed with a 62 last month to win the Malaysian Open, making him the only two-time winner on the European Tour this season.
The first round was suspended because of bad light, with 24 players still to finish. Two were on 5 under: Adrien Saddier (after 17 holes) and Keith Horne (after 16 holes).
