Golf: Ramsay has Korea leader in sights

The Frenchman recovered from a double bogey on the par-four fourth to mix eight birdies with two bogeys in a round of 68. That left Dubuisson on four under, two ahead of a group of five players which includes Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and English pair Paul Casey and Mark Foster.

Ramsay had a double bogey on the fifth, but sank five birdies to sit on two under, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson on the same mark after dropping a shot on the 18th.

Casey picked up four shots with bogeys at the ninth and 11th holes, while Foster also had four birdies and two dropped shots to card 70. Local favourite Jung Ji-ho completed the group.

Eleven players were tied for seventh on one under, among them Scotland’s Peter Whiteford, Oliver Fisher and Ross Fisher of England and Irishman Paul McGinley.

Windy conditions made life difficult for many of the competitors, but Dubuisson was delighted with his opening effort.

“Very pleased with playing four under today,” he said. “My putting was really, really good today and I think it’s the only way to achieve good scoring in these conditions. On the third hole the wind was from the left, and so on the fourth tee I thought the wind was going to be sort of left to right, but the wind was turning all the time.

“The wind just turned right to left and it went into the water. So I was not really upset after this double bogey because I didn’t hit a bad shot. I did my best to get back my concentration, and I made two birdies, good putts on five and six, and that was the good turn today.”

Casey, who only recently returned to playing following a shoulder injury, believes he can challenge for the title if he finds some consistency.

“I know if I play the golf I’m capable of, I’ve got a very good chance to win,” said the Englishman. “The way I played today, I need to keep that form going because there’s a long way to go.”

In New Orleans, Masters champion Bubba Watson was six shots off the clubhouse lead after his opening round in the defence of his Zurich Classic title.

Watson carded a one-under-par 71 to sit well off the pace of fellow American pair Ken Duke and Cameron Tringale.

The 33-year-old had four birdies and three bogeys in an up-and-down round on his return to action following his play-off success at Augusta.

Duke, in contrast, racked up seven birdies in a flawless round, while Tringale had eight, including four in a row from the 15th hole, and one bogey.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell was the highest-placed British or Irish player on three under.