Maybe Lendl Should Stick To The Courts

It started out so well for Ivan Lendl, and then, as happens so often on the golf course, it all went hopelessly awry.

Playing in his first professional golf tournament, the Czech Open at Marianske Lazne, Lendl, a native of the Czech Republic, recorded a birdie on the first hole and then fell apart.

The winner of eight grand slam tennis titles shot an opening round of 11-over-par 82 and trailed the leaders by 15 shots.

“It is much worse than playing a Wimbledon final,” said Lendl, who never won a Wimbledon title. “Five times worse, because in tennis I had confidence in what I was doing. Here I had nothing to base my confidence on.”

On the first hole, Lendl missed the green to the right with his approach shot, then pitched over a bunker and saw the ball roll into the hole for a birdie three.

“I shall feel much better tomorrow. I may not shoot better, but I shall definitely feel better,” Lendl said.