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Kaymer fires sparkling 61

18/10/2007

Rising star Martin Kaymer fired a sensational 11-under-par 61 to lead after the first round of the Portugal Open.

The German carded the joint best round of the season and smashed the course record by two strokes at the Oceânico Victoria Golf Club.

Kaymer, 22, leads Argentine Daniel Vancsik and Sweden's Martin Erlandsson by three strokes.

England's Lee Westwood, Gregory Bourdy of France and South African Retief Goosen are a further stroke back on seven under.

Justin Rose is on three-under in his bid to top Europe's money list.

But Kaymer, in his debut season on the European Tour, stole the show by sinking 11 birdies.

Kaymer, who capped off his round with five straight birdies, said he had been waiting for this round to happen.

"I shot a 13 under par 59 in Hapsburg (in Germany) on the EPD Tour, a satellite tour below the European Challenge Tour, last year when I had just turned pro," Kaymer said.

"That was the round of my life but that was a very easy course though.

"It's just my putting has been so-so. I'm really confident I have learned a lot from my near-misses, especially Sweden, where I just played a bad shot at the wrong hole."

Meanwhile, Westwood is in joint third after sinking five birdies and an eagle.

The 34-year-old said he feels like his game is coming together.

"I’ve driven the ball well again today – a couple of sloppy iron shots but nothing really to worry about," Westwood said.

It is all coming together and I really do feel like I have some low scores in me at the moment."