LLOYD SALTMAN SIZZLES WITH AN EIGHT-UNDER 63 IN AUSTRIA

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

A brilliant first round of eight under par 63 Lloyd Saltman soar into the lead at the European Challenge Tour’s Kärnten Golf Open presented by Mazda.

The Scot made a perfect start to the week by birdieing the first three holes of the Jacques Lemans Golf Club in St. Veit-Längsee in southern Austria, to set-up “one of those days where you very much enjoy being on a golf course”. 

Of the 156 players in the field, Saltman certainly had the most enjoyable day but he was not the only one.

Home hero Florian Praegant delighted the watching crowds with a fine 64 that saw him move to within one stroke of Saltman’s lead. 

American Dodge Kemmer and Denmark’s Mark F Haastrup also took full advantage of the fine conditions and some pristine putting surfaces as both posted opening efforts of six under par 65, while the home challenge was further boosted by Roland Steiner and Florian Praegant who joined Frenchman Edouard Dubois, Ireland’s Peter O’Keefe and Englishman Billy Hemstock on five under. 

But it was Saltman who stood at the top of the pile following his outstanding first round performance which saw the 27 year old compile an eagle, seven birdies and just a single dropped shot.

“It was a pretty good start – I played nicely today and managed to stick to the game plan that I had put together in Wednesday so it was a very satisfying day,” said Saltman. 

“I got off to a really fast start by birdieing the first three holes and then it was pretty simple from there. It was one of those days where you very much enjoy being on a golf course and those haven’t been coming along too often recently.

“I made some nice putts today and I have to say that the greens here are in magnificent shape – in my opinion they are the best we have putted on year on the Challenge Tour. 

“You need to get off to a fast start out here and try to get into the tournament as quick as you possibly can because the scoring is always very low. Hopefully we can keep this going for the next three days and see where we are come Sunday.”

 

FIRST ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71 

63 L Saltman (Sco)

64 F Praegant (Aut)

65 M Haastrup  (Den); D Kemmer (USA)

66 P O'Keeffe  (Irl); R Steiner (Aut); B Hemstock (Eng); M Trappel  (Aut); E Dubois (Fra)

67 D Frittelli (RSA); A Engell  (NSor); P Relecom  (Bel); L Nemecz (Aut); Z Scotland  (Eng); S Kim (SKor)

68 A Gee  (Eng); L Kennedy  (Eng); F Calmels  (Fra); S Walker (Eng); V Riu  (Fra); N Lemke (Swe); N Floren (Swe); S Piaget  (Mon); D Ulrich (Sui); P Martin Benavides (Esp); D Huizing (Ned)

69 S Hutsby  (Eng); J Legarrea (Esp); S Davis (Eng); G Molteni (Ita); A Rota (Ita); D Wuensche  (Ger); J Barnes (Eng); A Pavan (Ita); B Ritthammer (Ger); L Astl (Aut); N Quintarelli (Ita); M Kramer  (Ger); J Fahrbring (Swe); T Pilkadaris (Aus); N Kearney (Irl); D Palm (Swe); F Bergamaschi (Ita); A Forsyth (Sco); J Maurer  (Aut)

70 D Geminiani (Ita); A McArthur  (Sco); J Carlsson (Swe); T Pedersen (Nor); A Domingo (Esp); J Frazer (Wal); R Enoch  (Wal); C Russo (Fra); J Heath  (Eng); L Claverie (Esp); M Ford (Eng); J Gibb (Eng); M Rominger  (Sui); M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra); G Murray  (Sco); C Suneson (Esp); O Farr (Wal); M Quiros (Esp); F Laporta (Ita); R Wingardh (Swe); J Pastor Lopez (Esp); M Salminen (Fin);

71 J Mommo  (Fin); C Hanson (Eng); W Booth  (Sco); H Bacher (Aut); J Lerchedahl (Den); J Watts (Eng); C Brazillier  (Fra); D Salisbury (Eng); F Delamontagne  (Fra); T Feyrsinger  (Aut); D Perrier (Fra); J Lando Casanova  (Fra); M Novy  (Cze); T Rice  (Irl); M Zions (Aus); R Hjelm (Den); X Ruiz Fonhof  (Ned);

72 K Ferrie (Eng); M Brier (Aut); A Maestroni  (Ita); J Bragulat  (Esp); T Pieters  (Bel); P Gal  (Cze); N Dougherty  (Eng); M Crespi  (Ita); B Parker  (Eng); U Weinhandl (Aut); K Cobb (USA); P Dwyer (Eng); J Grillon  (Fra); C Dammert (am) (Ger);

73 W Besseling  (Ned); L Motta (Ita); T Sluiter  (Ned); S Garcia (Esp); A Johnston (Eng); F Svanberg  (Sui); A Hortal  (Esp); O Wilson (Eng); B Hebert  (Fra); A Bossert (Sui); J Doherty  (Sco); T Nemecz (am) (Aut);

74 M Haines  (Eng); F Colombo (Ita); D Stewart (Sco); J Camargo (Esp); G Watremez (Bel); B Neumayer (Aut); P Maddy (Eng); P Widegren  (Swe); A Perrino  (Ita); C Günther (Ger); J McLeary  (Sco); D Lloyd (RSA); B Mannix (Eng); J Webber (Eng); M Glauert (Ger); R Goger (am) (Aut);

75 N Meitinger  (Ger); L Goddard  (Eng); I Pyman (Eng); R Kellett (Sco); X Puig (Esp); T Pulkkanen  (Fin); B An (Kor); W Rieder  (Aut); N Elvira  (Esp);

76 M Haremza (Ger); C Schwierz  (Ger); S Garcia Rodriguez (Esp); D Osorio (Esp); R Saxton (Ned); B Chapellan (Fra); N Ravano (Ita); F De Vries  (Ned); D Moretti (am) (Aut);

77 O Rozner  (Fra); J Abbott (Eng); J Lima  (Por);

78 R Gruber (Aut); C Dvorak (Aut);

80 N Dahlgren (Fin); T Baltl (am) (Aut);

81 D Wright (Eng); M Schneider (Ger); S Whiffin (Eng);

82 M Ludwig (am) (Aut);

DQ S Matus  (Cze);