Sport

Bourdy sets a hot pace with a 63

EUROPEAN MASTERS: FRENCHMAN GREGORY Bourdy leads the Omega European Masters by two shots after a faultless eight-under-par opening…

Fri Aug 31 2012 - 01:00

EUROPEAN MASTERS:FRENCHMAN GREGORY Bourdy leads the Omega European Masters by two shots after a faultless eight-under-par opening round of 63 at Crans-sur-Sierre yesterday.

Bourdy, starting on the 10th tee, reached the turn on three under par and then surged to the top of the leaderboard with five birdies from his inward nine holes.

England’s Oliver Fisher also completed the front nine of the course in 31, with five birdies, to finish the day in a two-way tie for second place with a six-under-par round of 65.

Fisher was joined by Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed, who finished with four birdies on the last five holes to also record an opening round of 65 on a low scoring day in the Swiss Alps.

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Five players were tied for third place on five under par, with early pace-setters of Welshman Rhys Davies, England’s Robert Coles and India’s Anirban Lahiri all shooting a 66.

They were joined in the afternoon by Australian Scott Barr and England’s David Howell. Seven players were one shot further back on four under.

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie and Sweden’s Peter Hanson, the only members of Europe’s Ryder Cup team playing in Crans-Sur-Sierre this week, both opened with two-under-par rounds of 69 as did Shane Lowry who was best of the seven-strong Irish contingent.

Michael Hoey opened with a 70 while Peter Lawrie, Gareth Maybin, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley all shot one-over 72s. Damien McGrane has work to do following an opening 74.

Back in Ryder Cup action for the first time in 13 years, Lawrie arrived in Switzerland fresh from his victory in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. His round included three bogeys and five birdies.

Fabrizio Zanotti carded seven birdies and an eagle – but also a triple bogey and four bogeys to join those on two under par.

Hanson’s round was not smooth either. The Swede was three over after bogeying the third, fifth and sixth holes but he recovered well to card five birdies.

Chinese amateur Andy Zhang, the 14-year-old who in June became the youngest ever player to qualify for the US Open, went round in a one-over-par 72.

Defending champion Thomas Bjorn opened with a a three-over 74, as did Swedish European Tour debutant Kristopher Broburg.

Bourdy achieved top 20 finishes at each of his last two European Tour outings and he is now in prime position to push for a fourth career victory, and his first since the 2009 Hong Kong Open.

“It was a great day. I don’t think I’ve ever played better,” said Bourdy.

“This course isn’t the most difficult, but it’s not the easiest either because you have to hit the ball very straight, and I managed to do that today. I only missed one shot all day, but still managed to save par. My attitude was very good; I was very positive and that’s why I finished very well.”

Coles, a three-time winner on the Challenge Tour, turns 40 on Sunday and said he is hoping to mark the occasion with his first European Tour win. “I’m hungrier than ever, because recently I’ve had chances to win, and I’ve started to believe that I can do it.”

OMEGA EUROPEAN MASTERS: First round scores

At Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland (Gbr Irl unless stated, par 71):

63 G Bourdy (Fra) 65 O Fisher, F Andersson Hed (Swe) 66 S Barr (Aus), D Howell, R Coles, R Davies, A Lahiri (Ind) 67 A Dodt (Aus), D Willett, J Edfors (Swe), R Wattel (Fra), S Gallacher, N Fasth (Swe), M Brier (Aut), S Little 68 A Hansen (Den), B Henson (USA), J Manuel Lara (Spa), G Storm, F Aguilar (Chi), B Wiesberger (Aut), M Fraser (Aus), M Siem (Ger), P Price, J Quesne (Fra), V Dubuisson (Fra), L Slattery, M Rominger (Swi), D Drysdale, T Levet (Fra), J Randhawa (Ind) 69 M Walz (Ger), J Van Zyl (Rsa), S Dyson, S Jamieson, P Hanson (Swe), Shane Lowry, H Stenson (Swe), G Havret (Fra), S Webster, R Ramsay, R McEvoy, K Pratt (Aus), M Lafeber (Ned), A Cejka (Ger), P Lawrie, J Donaldson, F Zanotti (Par) 70 S Kjeldsen (Den), R Fisher, R Santos (Por), B Grace (Rsa), M Gronberg (Swe), A Saddier (Fra), P Meesawat (Tha), T Fleetwood, D Lipsky (USA), Michael Hoey, G Murray, H Otto (Rsa), M Campbell (Nzl), D Fichardt (Rsa), J Knutzon (USA), T Van Der Walt (Rsa), R S Johnson (Swe), R Finch, K Horne (Rsa), L Gagli (Ita) 71 JLuiten (Ned), M Manassero (Ita), M. Siddikur (Ban), J Sjoholm (Swe), S Hend (Aus), A Noren (Swe), P Karmis (Rsa), M Jonzon (Swe), A Canizares (Spa), G Fdez-Castano (Spa), C Wood, P Whiteford, P Waring, D Horsey, S Shankar P Chowrasia (Ind), Hi Singh Rai (Ind), J Morrison, M Mamat (Sin), R Gonzalez (Arg), B Rumford (Aus), K Aphibarnrat (Tha), A Que (Phi) 72 M Thannhauser (Ger), F Valera (Spa), C Del Moral (Spa), T Aiken (Rsa), G Mulroy (Rsa), P Hedblom (Swe), Peter Lawrie, JM Olazabal (Spa), B Hebert (Fra), G Maybin, C Montgomerie, M Baldwin, Rikard Karlberg (Swe), D Clarke, Edouard Amacher (Swi), O Floren (Swe), R Jacquelin (Fra), M Both (Aus), T Olesen (Den), A Zhang (Chn), R Beem (USA), G Bhullar (Ind), I Garrido (Spa), M Foster, P McGinley, R Sterne (Rsa) 73 S Kapur (Ind), J Kingston (Rsa), M Ilonen (Fin), T Wiratchant (Tha), D Lynn, P Larrazabal (Spa), P Junhasavasdikul (Tha), P Casey, G Boyd, K Benz (Swi) 74 R Jan Derksen (Ned), J-B Gonnet (Fra),

D McGrane, E Goya (Arg), K Broberg (Swe), M Zions (Aus), N Tantipokakul (Tha), C Phadungsil (Tha), Jbe Kruger (Rsa), T Bjorn (Den) 75 R Furrer (Swi), B Rusch (Swi), G Norman (USA), K Ferrie 76 M Warren, J Granberg (Fin), D Ulrich (Swi) 77 T Lewis, M Angel Jimenez (Spa), C Kumar (Ind), J Girrbach (Swi), P Martin (Spa), R Bain 78 C Nilsson (Swe), Z Moe (Kor), D Singh (Ind) 79 R Green (Aus) 81 B Dredge 82 Sven Struver (Ger)