Goosen sets pace with 'awesome' opening 62

Nick Faldo walked onto the first tee and shook Retief Goosen warmly by the hand. "Well played, US Open champion," Faldo said. Some 18 holes later, Faldo was still talking about the South African.

"That was pretty impressive to watch," Faldo said after Goosen scored a 62, nine under par, in the opening round of the Scottish Open. "His ball-striking was awesome on a day like today. If that is the way golf is going to be played in the 21st century, the new Tiger game, then I might have to seek new employment." Goosen, at 32 eleven years younger than the six-time major champion, would have equalled his own course record which he set in the final round of the World Invitational, the tournament that has given way for the return of the Scottish Open, in 1997. Sergio Garcia also had a 62 two years ago but then, as yesterday, preferred lies were in operation.

After torrential rain earlier in the week, the last thing that was needed was more overnight rain. Play was delayed until 11 o'clock, but, while some had to get up early and arrive at the course only to be forced to hang around or head back to the digs, Goosen was able to telephone ahead and, on hearing of the delay, went back to bed for an extra hour and a half.

The additional rest paid off as Goosen opened up with two birdies and an eagle in the first three holes. If holing two 15-footers and a 25-footer did not tell him this was to be his day, nothing would. He proceeded to hit some spectacular shots, birdieing three of the four par-threes. At the fifth, played towards the loch, he hit a six-iron to four feet. At the 11th, a monster of 235 yards, his four-iron finished eight feet away and at the 17th he put a six-iron to five feet.

This was a not just a damp day on the boggy but hardly bonnie banks, but far too cool to count as summer. Thanks to the drainage work done over the winter on the fairways and the greens, which previously would not have coped with the deluge, the course played well for those keeping the ball out of the sodden rough.

Goosen's driving was therefore a key part of his round. At the 413-yard tenth hole, where his playing partners, Gary Orr and Faldo, reached with approach shots with a two-iron and a three-wood respectively, the South African needed only a five-iron, a shot he almost holed. He holed the birdie putt from four feet while Faldo took a double-bogey six.

Faldo was struggling with his game but still managed a 70, one worse than Garcia, the young Spaniard playing in Europe for only the second time this season, but the same as Colin Montgomerie, who was furious after a bogey at the last when he duffed his chip, and two better than another former champion, Lee Westwood.

This was the first time Goosen had played with Faldo and the South African was able to thank him for leaving an encouraging message on the Sunday night at the US Open after Goosen had missed that two-footer for victory. Faldo said: "Retief dealt with that so well. He said: 'I missed a two-footer, so what', and went and played brilliantly in the play-off. He is going to be up there for some time. He can be as good as he wants to be."

"I am feeling a more lot confident and relaxed now," Goosen said. "I was a little nervous for a couple of holes but after such a great start I was looking at the flag all day. I had the feeling that I was going to go low. You have got to like a course to play well and I think this design is great. Some courses you just blend into, while others you never seem to get comfortable with." After birdieing the first three holes on the back nine to stand nine-under on the tee of the par-five 13th, Goosen knew the first round under 60 on the European Tour was a possibility. But his second at the 13th finished in a bunker 40 yards short of the green and he ended up with a bogey six. When the first half of the draw had completed their rounds, Goosen led by three from Australia's Jarrod Moseley and the New Zealander, Elliot Boult.

SCOTTISH OPEN (Loch Lomond) Early first-round scores (GB or Irl unless stated): 62 R Goosen (SA). 65 J Moseley (Aus), E Boult (NZ). 67 G Evans, A Cejka (Ger). 68 D Lynn, A Cabrera (Arg), C Rodiles (Sp), T Gogele (Ger). 69 C Pettersson (Swe), F Jacobson (Swe), J Coceres (Arg), S Webster, J Senden (Aus), G Ogilvy (Aus), P Lonard

(Aus), S Garcia (Sp), G Orr. 70 B Lane, D Howell, I Woosnam, MA Jimenez (Sp), G Brand Jnr, R Jacquelin (Fr), N Faldo, P Lawrie, C Montgomerie. 71 R Winchester, P Quirici (Swit), J Singh (India), W Bennett, D Park, R Green (Aus), H Bjornstad (Nor), A McLardy (SA), M Campbell (NZ), *M Hoey. 72 J Hugo (SA), P Eales, G Owen, P Broadhurst, D Borrego (Sp), L Westwood, M Lafeber (Neth), A Coltart. 73 M Gronberg (Swe), C Suneson (Sp), S Struver (Ger), J Rystrom (Swe), B Dredge, J Spence, B Rumford (Aus), D Robertson. 74 D Higgins, A Raitt, C Hanell (Swe), M Scarpa (It), V Phillips, R Gonzalez (Arg), E Darcy, M Farry (Fr), M Reale (It), M Lundberg (Swe). 75 *J Quinney (US), D Fichardt (SA), G Emerson, C Parry (Aus). 76 D Terblanche (SA), G Havret (Fr), S Leaney (Aus), B Davis. 77 G Norquist (US), P Fulke (Swe). 79 S Ballesteros (Sp), P Sjoland (Swe), R Muntz (Neth). 81 L Parsons (Aus).

* Denotes amateur.