Sorry David's French fried (From Swindon Advertiser)

Sorry David's French fried

8:20am Friday 3rd July 2009

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DAVID Howell’s build-up to this month’s Open Championships at Turnberry got off to a poor start as he slumped to a 74 in the first round of the Open de France ALSTOM in Paris yesterday.

Howell, who has already qualified for the year’s third major championship by virtue of his seventh place in the event last year, slipped towards the back of the field at Le Golf National after a five-bogey 18 holes.

Yet it started well from the Broome Manor man, who birdied the short par four 10th, his opener, at the 7,299 yard layout.

However, he immediately gave the shot back at the next and repeared his birdie-bogey form on the 14th and 15th.

After that, Howell slipped over par for the championship for the first time when he bogeyed the long part four 17th.

And further dropped shots at the first and ninth sandwiched eight pars as he came home in 38 shots.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer put double Open champion Padraig Harrington and the rest totally in the shade with a course record-equalling 62 when the French Open Alstom began in sunny Paris today.

The 24-year-old, who came so close to earning a Ryder Cup debut last year, chipped in for an eagle at the long third and collected no fewer than eight birdies.

Meanwhile Harrington’s struggles continued.

Now just two weeks away from his bid for a third successive Open title the Dubliner, who has missed his last four halfway cuts, was down on one over.

Playing partner Ian Poulter, runner-up to him at Royal Birkdale last July, was even further behind.

In his first tournament in Europe this year Poulter birdied the 14th and 15th to stand two under, but then dumped two balls in the lake for a triple bogey seven at the 18th.

Also two over was Darren Clarke after trips to the water on the 10th, 16th and 18th, but despite starting his 500th European Tour event by hooking into the lake on the 10th Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez recovered to be four under.

Former amateur international Waring eagled the 15th to end five under, one in front of local favourite Thomas Levet.

Nick Dougherty, the winner there, was one ahead of Jimenez on five under.