South African pair amongst leaders

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ST. JAMES, Barbados -- South Africans Rory Sabbatini and Richard Sterne, dovetailing superbly on the back nine, stormed into a share of the early lead in the WGC-World Cup first round on Thursday.

In gruelling conditions, five-times winners South Africa carded a seven-under-par 64 in the foursomes (best ball) format to set the pace with Argentine duo Andres Romero and Angel Cabrera and Swedes Carl Pettersson and Henrik Stenson.

Germany, represented by veteran Bernhard Langer and Marcel Siem, are a further stroke behind and level with Welshmen Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd, shock winners of last year's competition in Portugal.

England's Luke Donald and David Howell, title favourites this week as the highest-ranked combination in the 24-team field, trailed by two strokes alongside the United States, South Korea and Colombia.

Scoring was difficult on a blustery day of intermittent showers and bright sunshine at Sandy Lane Resort's Country Club Course.

"It was a tough day out there, and mentally fatiguing," Sabbatini told reporters after he and Sterne had birdied five of the last nine holes.

"You just had to battle through it and keep close to the lead. We kept the ball in play and, I think 16 of the 18 holes, we had good birdie opportunities. Ultimately one of us would put it close."

Big-hitting Cabrera, who reeled off three successive birdies from the 14th, was relieved he and Romero finally clicked into form after the turn.

"We didn't play well the first nine holes and thank goodness we combined on the back nine," he said. "It's always been an ambition of mine to win the World Cup and I want to finish it off in this tournament.

Argentina, with Roberto de Vicenzo and Antonio Cerda, won the inaugural World Cup in 1953 but have failed to pick up the trophy since.

Winds gusted up to 75kph in the opening round, making it particularly testing for the players on the exposed greens.

"There were times when everything was moving: the body and the putter," Langer said. "The conditions were extremely tough and it's not easy to putt in the wind."

The 49-year-old German, who won the 1990 World Cup for Germany in partnership with Torsten Giedeon, was delighted with his form on the greens.

"Every once in a while I play pretty good," the twice Masters champion said. "I played well last week and brought a bit of that confidence into this week.

"I made some good putts today, and that's what it's all about."

Langer won last week's Father/Son Challenge ChampionsGate Golf Club in Orlando, Florida for the second successive year with his son Stefan.

Friday's second round will feature foursomes, or alternate shot, action before the format switches back to fourballs on Saturday. The competition will end with the foursomes on Sunday.

Although being played in Barbados for the first time, the World Cup has twice previously been held in the Caribbean. Puerto Rico staged the two-man team competition in 1961 and 1994.

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