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Wales open World Golf defence

07/12/2006

Wales have made a solid start to their World Golf Championships campaign with Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge lying just one stroke off the early pace-setters at Sandy Lane, Barbados.

The pair are led by Argentina, Sweden and South Africa whose pairs all carded seven-under rounds of 64 on the competition's opening day four-balls.

Much-fancied English duo David Howell and Luke Donald, who finished runners-up to Wales a year ago, lurk a further shot behind on five-under.

Their round showed a marked improvement over the second half of the course, accelerating from one-under after ten holes to finish on 66.

The Irish team of Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke and their Scottish counterparts, Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren, completed a good day for the Brits, finishing on four-under.

All the competitors had to overcome difficult conditions with high winds and heavy rain, although Dodd found them to his advantage on the fourth where his approach found the green via a spectator's umbrella.

"We are a little disappointed because we had a few chances on the back nine but, on the whole, we're satisfied with the day's play," he said.

"The front nine is where you're going to make your score, the back nine plays much harder."

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