Jimmy Heggarty of Northern Ireland finished three shots off the pace on the opening day of the inaugural Sicilian Senior Open after signing for a round of 71 at Il Picciolo Golf Club on the holiday island of Sicily.
Event leader, Horacio Carbonetti of Argentina, was grateful for the help of his caddie, a local lady named Cecilia, to overcome treacherous conditions to post a round of 70 on day one.
Carbonetti, currently 49th on the Senior Tour Order of Merit and without a top ten finish all season, made light of the heavy weather at Il Picciolo Golf Club, on the holiday island of Sicily, to set the clubhouse target on two under par.
With persistent rain rendering low scoring highly difficult, Carbonetti displayed the surest of touches to register just one bogey – and that came at the fiendishly tough 11th hole, which at 472 yards in length is yet to see a birdie all day. By his own admission the Argentine was also the recipient of some good fortune, having found his ball after wayward drives at the 12th and 17th holes.
“My only bogey of the day came at the 11th, but it’s playing like a par five. I still had 230 yards to go with my second shot, so I came up short of the green and couldn’t get up and down. But overall I was very pleased with my day – I just hope the weather tomorrow will be a bit better.”
The only other player to finish under par so far was Spaniard Juan Quiros who, despite two sixes on his card, signed for a one under par round of 71.
Quiros, who finished fourth at last week’s Benhavis Senior Masters, carded five birdies but gave shots back with bogeys at the sixth and 11th holes, and a double bogey at the 16th.
Earlier in the day England’s Carl Mason, chasing his 24th Senior Tour title to overtake his compatriot Tommy Horton’s record haul, finished on one over par after an up and down round of 73.
Denis O’Sullivan is four over par after carding a round of 76.
