Irish champion Graeme McDowell took the Murhof course in Austria apart yesterday to equal the record and grab the early lead in the European amateur championship.
The 21-year-old, who recently won the British Universities title, swept around the 6,274 metre tree lined course in an amazing nine under-par 63 to equal the record set by Austrian Rudi Failer, now a professional.
Starting at the tenth McDowell, who has swept virtually all before him since returning from Alabama University in June, actually covered his first nine holes in seven under-par 29 and had an amazing ten threes in his first 13 holes. It really was champagne stuff as McDowell strode about his business but his only regret were missed short putts - of not more than about four feet - on each of the last two holes to be denied the outright record.
Two drivers put him onto the heart of the 10th green where he got his first birdie and the second quickly followed at the 11th where he wedged to eight feet.
Highlight of his round came at the 468 metres 14th where he got an eagle three, a drive and four wood putting him eight feet from the flag. It almost became monotonous as he picked up a birdie at the 15th with a seven footer, played an exquisite lob-wedge to three feet at the 17th and then canned a 30 footer for a birdie at the 18th to complete that 29.
Coming home he had three birdies and five pars with just one dropped shot at the sixth where he played a poor chip and missed an eight foot putt. "It was the round of my life," declared McDowell afterwards and he will be looking for more of the same today.
He goes into the second round just one stroke clear of Sweden's Carl Petterson after a day of low scoring during which more than a third of the field broke the par of 72.
McDowell from Rathmore intends to make sure that he keeps his feet firmly on the ground today so that there are no hiccups.
Another Irishman Andrew McCormick had every reason to be pleased with his round as he took 67 with halves of 33 and 34.
McCormick also started at the 10th and did not begin too impressively, taking three putts at the 11th for a bogey five but he got his act together very soon and produced some super golf with three birdies on his first nine, and three more on the homeward journey.
"I was pretty steady and really enjoyed it. I holed some good putts and that really helped me," said McCormick.
Limerick's Tim Rice, who led the qualifiers in the British Amateur Championship, dropped four strokes in the first four holes but recovered to finish with a 73.
First round leaders - 63 - G McDow- ell (Ire); 64 - C Petterson (Sweden), J Donaldson (Wales), P Kyllianen (Finland); 66 - S Grewal (England), A Kruse (Germany). Other Irish scores: 67 - A McCormick; 73 - T Rice, C McMonagle; 74 - N Fox; 75 - P Martin; 76 - E Feely; 80 - E Brady.
