D Friday, October 2, 2009 METROSPORT 21 Inspired Bjorn in driving seat again THOMAS BJORN did not have much to smile about in France last week but what a difference it was in Scotland yesterday. Bjorn, non-playing captain of the Conti- nental Europe team hammered by Britain and Ireland in the Vivendi Trophy, began the Dunhill Links Championship with an eight-under-par 64 at Kingsbarns. It gave the 38-year-old Dane a two- stroke lead over Englands Ross McGow- an and Irishman Gareth Maybin and was only one shot outside his lowest- ever score on the European Tour. Bjorn opened with a horrendous 82 on his last trip to Scotland for the Johnnie Walker Championship five weeks ago. But that was his first event for nearly two months, a lay-off caused by dizzi- ness and fatigue so bad he was sent for a brain scan. This time Bjorn had four birdies in a back-nine 32, eagled the 516- yard third and picked up further strokes on the fourth and sixth. It was a hard week last week I spent a lot of time thinking but I got inspired by it, he said. I drove the ball fantastic all day and for the first time in a long time started rolling in a few putts. Its just nice to walk off and feel like for once I got what I deserved. Maybin, close to his first European Tour win last December when he lost a play-off for the South African Open to Richard Sterne, was also playing at Kingsbarns and did not drop a stroke in his 66. Rory McIlroy, with a chance to go top of the money list this weekend, was per- fectly content with his 68, the same as Darren Clarke. Padraig Harrington bogeyed the last the 478-yard ninth for him for a 70. Harrington is the top-ranked player in the 168-strong field at seventh and he was back, of course, on the links where his first major title came two years ago. When you arrive there are little things that remind you I was in this position or that position, he said. I think on every hole there was some- thing that jogged the memory. I had high expectations going out to- day and it took me a while to get my head around it. Shades of green: Singer Ronan Keating, playing with English golfer Graeme Storm, fires at the flag during his round at St Andrews yesterday Picture: AFP/ Getty By pEtER REGAn RALLYING: World championship leader Mikko Hirvonen has been having special tuition in an effort to improve his performance on asphalt ahead of this weekends crucial Rally of Spain. Hirvonen completed an expanded three-day test on the Catalan roads and was also given tuition on asphalt driving by former Touring Car champion Rob Wilson. The Finn enters the penultimate round of the season with a five- point lead over reigning champion Sebastien Loeb, but has struggled to match the Frenchman on tarmac. Everyone knows how strong Loeb is on asphalt so I think theres enough of a fight for me to try to get second. Hirvonen said. Eight points would help greatly ahead of the last round but wont be easy to achieve. MOtOGp: Former world champion Casey Stoner is expecting a tough return from a three-race absence at Estoril this weekend. Stoner, 23, has sat out of the last three rounds of the season after suffering mystery health problems, but after an extended break back in Australia and rigorous medical attention, he will be back at portugal. Doctors now believe that low blood pressure and a lack of sodium were behind Stoners problems, with over training and past injuries also a factor. Stoner said: Having three races off is the biggest period away from racing in my life. It was very difficult to accept the advice of the doctors to stop racing. TENNIS: Jelena Jankovic, the highest-ranked player left in the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, yesterday advanced to the semi- finals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Marion Bartoli. The Serbian seventh seed has become the favourite for the tournament after defending champion Dinara Safina, Venus Williams, Elena Dementieva, Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva all suffered shock exits. And she confirmed that status with a dominant showing against Frenchwoman Bartoli to book a last-four clash with Li Na of China. The other semi-final will be between Maria Sharapova and 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska. RUGBy: England manager Martin Johnson yesterday threw his weight behind the idea of rolling substitutions and predicted their introduction to rugby union could be inevitable. twickenham bosses are looking into the possibility of experimenting with rugby league-style interchanges from next season in a bid to ensure the Harlequins Bloodgate scandal can never be repeated. Johnson said: I am a traditionalist and I liked it when 15 guys had to battle it out and you had to be fit for 80 minutes. But you come around to thinking about it as a possibility. It needs to be looked at carefully and I am sure it will be trialled. SPORTDigest Last-four in tokyo: Jankovic GOLF DUnHILL LInKS CHAMpIOnSHIp ruGby maGners LeaGue THE additions of Jean de Villiers and Nick Williams to an already formidable Munster line-up will ensure the Magners League champions will pose a bigger threat than ever in tomorrow nights clash at the RDS, according to Isa Nacewa. The Leinster full-back is a former Auckland Blues team-mate of No.8 Williams, who scored a hat-trick in Munsters victory over the Dragons last weekend, and has faced off against South African centre De Villiers in the Super 14. I played quite a lot with Nick for the Blues, Nacewa said. I think he only played six games last year and then his first 80 minutes and three tries was pretty impressive. Hes one of the strongest players Ive played with. His work off the back of the scrum, his strength is one of his biggest traits and he loves running with the ball. A lot of people think he cant really go the distance but Ive seen him go 80 minutes a lot of the time so he has the fitness to do it. [De Villiers] is one of the best backs Ive come up against I think. Youve always got be on your game against him. He can read play really well, look at the amount of intercepts hes got, so hes a great defender and a great attacker and hes going to be a huge asset for them. Munster new boys a worry for Isa Challenge: nacewa FOrmuLa One japanese Grand prix Lewis relishing a battle with Alonso Lewis HamiLton is relishing going head to head with Fernando alonso next season. the spaniards long- anticipated move to Ferrari was finally confirmed on wednesday after it was announced he had signed a three-year deal to make the switch from Renault. Hamilton and alonso endured a fractious relationship while team-mates at mcLaren in 2007 before alonso eventually returned to Renault after just one season. Hamilton said: it could be back to the older days because i grew up watching Kimi [Raikkonen] and Fernando being at the front with [michael] schumacher. i see those as the greats. Being able to compete with those back up the front with [Felipe] massa, it will be a close, close battle. Ferrari have retained massa after his season was ended by injury at the Hungarian Grand Prix and he is likely to match his new partner every step of the way but alonso stressed there is no desire on his part to impose his will on the Brazilian. we have a very good relationship, he said. Felipe, we know, is a very quick driver and also a great personality. also he has been in the team for many years now so he can help me a lot to adapt to the team as quickly as possible. Alonso: Centre of attention Button staying patient Jenson Button insists winning the world championship has been the farthest thing from his mind ahead of sundays Japanese Grand Prix. the Briton needs to outscore Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello by five points to be crowned world champion with two races to spare. But he stressed it has not been difficult to occupy his thoughts elsewhere and played down his chances of completing the job at suzuka. to beat your team-mate by five points when hes at his prime, as he is at the moment, is very difficult, its a big margin. But i dont come into this race thinking im going to seal the title here. my dream is not to win it at suzuka, my dream is to win it. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html