Sparkling Maybin takes three-shot lead at Italian Open
By Norman Dabell
TURIN, Italy (Reuters) - Britain's Gareth Maybin produced a stunning seven-under-par 64 to take a three-shot lead in the Italian Open first round on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Northern Irish rookie holed out from 115 yards for an eagle two on the 13th and collected six birdies to head fellow Britons Richie Ramsay and Marcus Higley and French tour winners Raphael Jacquelin and Christian Cevaer.
Maybin needed a mere seven-foot putt on the mammoth 507-yard par-four 18th to take his lead to three strokes and set up a chance of going one better than his playoff defeat by Richard Sterne in the South African Open early in the season.
"It was very disappointing to be beaten in a playoff but I'm hopeful it will make me a stronger player the next time I'm in that position," Maybin told reporters after a near blemish-free round in which he dropped just one shot, at the 16th.
Maybin's extra-time loss to South African Sterne came just before Christmas in the tour's fifth event of the 2009 season.
"I went home and reflected on it and decided that a lot of big names were below me (on the European money-list) and I took a lot of positives from it," said Maybin.
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