Michael Hoey and Niall Kearney made steady if unspectacular starts on a day of hot scoring in round one of the Euram Bank Open.
The now 41-year old Hoey was the best of Ireland’s travelling quartet after carding three birdies in his one-over par 69.
Kearney meanwhile returned a no-fuss even par round of 70. Looking to build some momentum after closing with a 69 last week near Vienna, the Royal Dublin professional returned three birdies in an opening effort that sees him in a tie for 81st at even par.
Tramore’s Robin Dawson has serious work to do to make the cut after a three-over round of 73 while Dubliner Gavin Moynihan is languishing badly after a five-over 75.
Good scores were out there and Deyen Lawson and Stanislav Matus proved it to share the first round lead after carding seven-under par rounds of 63 at Golf Club Adamstal.
Australian Lawson set the early clubhouse target after a round which included nine birdies, five of those consecutively from the 12th hole. Two early birdies were cancelled out by bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes, but a birdie on the ninth start a run of seven gains in eight holes.
Matus, of the Czech Republic, joined Lawson in a share of the lead after finishing his round in the evening, going bogey-free in the Austrian Alps.
“I was hitting it steady but made a couple of little errors late on the front nine,” said Lawson. “I stayed positive and shot-by-shot. I didn’t realise I’d made that many birdies in a row, after the ninth I had six more in seven holes.
“I just tried to hit each shot as good as I can, not worrying about what it was for – for bogey or birdie. The views are great here, so you just have to look around when you’re a bit frustrated and take your mind off golf. These hills take your mind off golf pretty quickly. All in all it’s a good start and a good position after round one.”
The pair are one stroke ahead of Sweden’s Philip Eriksson, who also started strongly at last week’s Austrian Open, Oliver Lindell of Finland and Englishman Jordan Wrisdale on six under par. Both Eriksson and Wrisdale were also bogey-free, while Lindell carded eight birdies.
Nine players share sixth place on five under par, including Matus’ compatriot Ondrej Lieser, who made a hole-in-one on the 12th. A further nine players share 15th on four under par, rounding out a congested top 20.
Full scoring HERE
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