Robertson upstages rivals

Dean Robertson came up with a dramatic way to upstage his rivals on the opening day of the Heineken Classic in Perth.

The Scotsman sank a 35ft putt and then holed a 103-yard wedge shot for a birdie-eagle finish to hand in a seven-under-par 65 and and hold a one-stroke lead over Australians Greg Norman and Nick O'Hern.

"I knew the pitch shot was perfect but for it to go in was a real bonus," said Robertson, who two weeks ago was joint third in the Alfred Dunhill championship in South Africa after career-best 62 in the first round.

"I put in a big effort over Christmas, working six or seven hours a day on my game," said the 30-year-old former Scottish amateur champion. "To open the season with a 62 was a pleasant surprise and to do this in a difficult wind feels just as good."

Norman, the former world No1, also closed with an eagle, hitting the flagstick with his second shot to the 517-yard 18th. Robertson's eagle came on the 525-yard ninth.

Nick Faldo and Justin Rose, second in his first two tournaments of the year, also eagled the 18th. But while it meant a 70 for Rose, Faldo could only manage 74.

Sweden's Pierre Fulke, certain a Ryder Cup debut later this year and leader of Europe's order of merit, carded a 67 on his return after a winter break "I wasn't sure what to expect," he said. "The three weeks I was in Sweden it was five to 10 degrees below and I didn't hit a shots."