Conor Purcell finds himself tied for 68th at one-over-par after the opening round of the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry.
The 28-year-old DP World Tour rookie began his tournament on the 10th and had a mixed first nine holes. A bogey on 12 was followed by back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15, before two further bogeys on 16 and 18 left him on +1 at the turn.
Birdies on three and six got him back into red figures, but a disappointing finish saw him bogey the final two holes and he faces another battle to make it through to the weekend with each Race to Dubai point earned for making the cut potentially looking crucial as we approach the final months of the DP World Tour schedule.
Shane Lowry is in action over at East Lake in the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship, but he’ll have one eye on Rasmus Højgaard’s score at The Belfry. With no Ryder Cup points available at East Lake, a tied 29th finish or better for Højgaard would see him leapfrog Lowry and secure the final automatic selection for team Europe, and he’s on course to do exactly that with an opening 69 that leaves him tied for 12th at -3.
Haotong Li reeled off four successive birdies on the back nine to sit in a four-way tie for the lead alongside Matthias Schwab, Thomas Aiken and Marcel Siem.
Chinese star Li is enjoying a stellar season, having tasted victory at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and recorded four further top-five finishes – including last month’s Open Championship.
And he was on top form at The Belfry Hotel & Resort on Thursday as he bounced back from an opening bogey with seven birdies in his next 17 holes.
Afternoon starter Li finished with a flourish as he picked up shots at the 14th, 15th 16th and 17th to join Schwab and Aiken on six-under-par, with Siem making it a quartet at the top late in the day.
“I’m very pleased, especially because I just got out from that time off and I felt a little bit rusty the first few holes,” Li said. “And just very glad and happy to finish like this.
“My driver is still quite off, but I just hit a lot of mini drivers off the deck and put myself in play. And my approach is sharp as usual, so just gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities.”
Austrian Schwab made two eagles, four birdies and two bogeys in his 66 and was pleased with the way he played the par fives, saying: “I took care of the par fives with two eagles and a birdie, which is nice. And then just played solid golf, made a lot of putts, which was nice, and avoided most of the mistakes.
“Everything is going in the right direction. Has been for a while. I’m just not able to really show it on the course. There’s a bunch of knots in my head that I have to untie. Today was a great day, and I hope it continues that way.”
South Africa’s Aiken carded seven birdies and a single bogey in his first round.
He said: “All in all, very pleased with my round. You know, I think the conditions are pretty benign today for this time of year and England.”
Home favourite Matt Fitzpatrick was one shot off the lead alongside Keita Nakajima on five-under.
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