Belgium’s Thomas Pieters and Richard T. Lee from Canada had low expectations initially of this week’s Worldwide Collection England however that every one modified at present once they each shot standout seven-under-par 64s to take the first-round lead.
They’re forward of England’s Richard Bland, Chinese language Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai from Thailand and Korea’s Seungtaek Lee, who fired 66s right here on the Longcross course at Foxhills Membership & Resort, in Surrey.
Pieters, who performs for RangeGoats GC on the LIV Golf League, continues to be looking for the sort of type that noticed him triumph on six events on the DP World Tour, however it seems to be like he’s not distant after setting the tempo with a spherical made up of an eagle and 5 birdies, the identical as Lee.
“Drove it effectively and putted actually properly,” stated Pieters, whose finest end this yr on LIV was joint fifth in Singapore.
“The course sort of fits me; it’s much like the Belgium Open course the place I observe. It’s tight and slender however if you happen to do hit lots of drivers you may get near a great deal of par fours. You make this course straightforward if you hit it straight.”
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
He was 4 beneath by means of 5, after he made birdie on the primary two holes and eagled the par-five fifth. Three birdies within the final 5, together with on 18, noticed him catch Lee who performed within the morning.
He added: “I really feel good over the golf ball. I’m placing properly, however I had no expectations this week. I do know the realm, I’m a member throughout the street at Queenwood, I play lots of golf round right here. So, sure I really feel snug right here.”
Lee fell down the steps three weeks in the past in Korea and has been nursing a sore shoulder since, however he shrugged that off at present.
The Canadian needed to pull out of Worldwide Collection Morocco final month due to the damage.
“It’s the precise shoulder that hurts,” stated Lee, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, with the newest coming on the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea in 2017.
“I’ve had some good remedy; been understanding a little bit bit; been engaged on my recreation. It looks like it’s trending in the precise method.”
The 33-year-old, who began his spherical on 10 made an eagle on the par-five 14th, the place he attacked the pin with a six-iron second shot and holed a six-footer.
Nonetheless, it was a par save on the seventh, a par 4, that made his day.
He stated: “I made an incredible up and down for par, holing from eight ft. That actually summed up my bogey-free spherical at present.
“It’s a very powerful course. You should place your shot within the excellent place together with your tee pictures and if you happen to do that you may make a rating. When you don’t, it’ll penalise you.
“It’s a decent course however I hit lots of drivers to be trustworthy. I prefer to hit these low reduce managed drives and it’s working fairly effectively. Hopefully it really works out tomorrow as effectively.”
GOOD START FOR BLANDY
Bland, who has sensationally claimed two Senior Majors on the Champions Tour this season – the Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open – appeared like he would additionally end the day within the lead however made bogey on 15 and 17.
“When the wind will get up it may be tough, which is what occurred,” stated the 51-year-old.
“I’m proud of the best way I performed, it’s a great begin.”
His compatriot Andy Sullivan from England is subsequent finest positioned after a 67, together with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, Gunn Charoenkul, Nitithorn Thippong, and Pavit Tangkamolprasert, and Sweden’s Kristoffer Broberg, Robert Dinwiddie from England, and China’s Sampson Zheng.
4-time DP World Tour winner Sullivan is coming off a two-week break and was delighted to begin effectively.
He stated: “Scored effectively, wouldn’t say I performed nice. It undoubtedly reveals I’ve not completed rather a lot in two weeks. I took the youngsters on vacation, simply been pre-occupied with the youngsters. Been out with my mates a bit having a great time. Haven’t performed a lot golf so at present was about seeing the place we’re. It has undoubtedly highlighted I’m nonetheless struggling off the tee.”
American John Catlin, chief of each the Asian Tour Order of Advantage and The Worldwide Collection Rankings, returned a 68, whereas New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, winner of Worldwide Collection Morocco, got here in with a 69.
This week’s US$2million match is the ninth occasion of the yr on the Asian Tour and the fourth cease on The Worldwide Collection.
