TOM LEWIS RECAPTURES FORM TO LEAD WITH NINE-UNDER 63

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Englishman Tom Lewis returned to form in sublime style with a nine under par 63 in the first round of the Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity. 

The 22 year old, pictured, who won the 2011 Portugal Masters on his third professional start, raced into a two-shot lead at Diamond Country Club in Austria, eclipsing fine earlier efforts from Dutchman Joost Luiten (65), English trio Simon Dyson, Richard McEvoy and Graeme Storm and Frenchman Alexander Levy (all 66).

Lewis has largely struggled since making his breakthrough in Portugal, which came three months after he burst onto the radar by recording the lowest score by an amateur in the first round of The Open Championship. 

However, nine birdies on a long, wet course were the perfect remedy for any lack of confidence.

“It’s a great start,” he said. “I had some good fortune around the 17th and 18th, which was my front nine, and that made the back nine more relaxed. I holed a lot of putts, which was really the only difference between today and the rest of the season.

“This year’s been tough, but I’ve been very close and shown a lot of good stuff. Today it all came together and if I can have three more rounds like that I’ll be alright. 

“I always seem to throw in a double bogey in a round or a tournament and it pushes me out of contention. I’ve got to try to limit the mistakes and not get too down on myself, and I’ve been working hard on that with a lot of people. I’ve got a lot of support from friends and family, and good coaches, so with a bit of talent I’ve got no excuses.”

Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez is another shot back at five under, alongside 18 year old amateur Matthias Schwab, who was runner-up in last year’s Amateur Championship.
Leading Scot is Calum Macaulay who put his recent indifferent form behind him to return a four-under-par 68. Craig Lee is on 70 alongside Alastair Forsyth.
Peter Whiteford, who had been playing well of late, had a bad day at the office with an 81.

FIRST ROUND SCORES:

Par 72

63 T Lewis (Eng) 

65 J Luiten (Ned) 

66 S Dyson  (Eng) , R McEvoy  (Eng) , A Levy (Fra) , G Storm  (Eng) 

67 A Sullivan (Eng) , P Waring  (Eng) , L Wen-Chong (Chn) , M Jiménez (Esp) , M Schwab (am) (Aut) 

68 S Webster (Eng) , S Kapur (Ind) , J Barnes (Eng) , C Macaulay  (Sco) , B Wiesberger  (Aut) , D Brooks (Eng) , L Goddard  (Eng) , R Wattel  (Fra) 

69 M Lampert (Ger) , D McGrane (Irl) , A Dodt (Aus) , C Paisley  (Eng) , J Hansen  (Den) , M Tullo (Chi) , E De La Riva  (Esp) , M Nixon (Eng) , I Garrido (Esp) , M Carlsson  (Swe) , S Little (Eng) ,

70 P Hedblom (Swe) , J Elson  (Eng) , C Lee (Sco) , D Kemmer (USA) , G Bourdy (Fra) , Å Nilsson (Swe) , S Hansen (Den) , A Snobeck  (Fra) , J Glennemo (Swe) , D Gaunt (Aus) , J Campillo (Esp) , J Morrison  (Eng) , A Forsyth (Sco) , L Jensen (Den) 

71 M Kieffer (Ger) , M Baldwin (Eng) , J Maurer  (Aut) , L Nemecz (Aut) , T Pilkadaris (Aus) , O Floren  (Swe) , M Madsen  (Den) , P Gustafsson (Swe) , M Lundberg (Swe) , S Arnold  (Aus) , B Åkesson (Swe) , T Björn (Den) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , R Gruber (Aut) , L Slattery (Eng) , H Otto (RSA) , D Drysdale (Sco) , P Price (Wal) , B Dredge (Wal) , L Astl (Aut) , D Higgins (Irl) 

72 C Kim (USA) , L Gagli  (Ita) , T Van Der Walt (RSA) , J Kingston (RSA) , R Bland (Eng) , P Fendt (Aut) , R Santos  (Por) , C Lloyd (Eng) , M Korhonen (Fin) , G Bhullar (Ind) , S Benson (Eng) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , G Maybin (Nir) , R Rock (Eng) , T Fisher Jnr (RSA) , S Dodd (Wal) , O Fisher  (Eng) , M Brier (Aut) , E Grillo (Arg) , E Kofstad (Nor) , D Dixon (Eng) , T Nemecz (am) (Aut) 

73 A Marshall (Eng) , A Hartø  (Den) , T Levet (Fra) , J Walters (RSA) , G Orr (Sco) , R Davies (Wal) , G Lockerbie  (Eng) , M Lafeber (Ned) , J Kruger (RSA) , M Wiegele  (Aut) , G Stal  (Fra) , M Southgate  (Eng) 

74 M Glauert (Ger) , R Derksen (Ned) , C Cévaër (Fra) , F Andersson Hed (Swe) , J Edfors (Swe) , T Hatton (Eng) , D Van Der Walt (RSA) , A Dunbar (Nir) , R Karlberg  (Swe) 

75 P Meesawat  (Tha) , C Del Moral (Esp) , M Davis (Eng) , S Henry  (Sco) , S Wakefield (Eng) , B Palanszki (Hun) , J Sjöholm (Swe) , N Fasth (Swe) , C Davies (Wal) 

76 D Vancsik (Arg) , R Coles (Eng) , R Green (Aus) , J Timmis (Eng) , M Delpodio  (Ita) , J Colomo  (Esp) , P Erofejeff (Fin) , M Quiros (Esp) , A Kleszcz (am) (Aut) 

77 M Zions (Aus) , U Weinhandl (Aut) , D Popovic (Aus) , G Boyd  (Eng) , P Gal  (Cze) , D Horsey (Eng) , J Roos (RSA) 

78 S Piaget  (Mon) , J Lagergren (Swe) , R Sarközi (Hun) , R Steiner (Aut) , D Im (USA) , C Bausek (Aut) , S Straka (am) (Aut) ,

79 H Amin  (Aut) , A Tadini (Ita)

80 J Lara (Esp) , J Howarth (Eng) 

81 O Bekker (RSA) , C Prader  (Aut) , P Whiteford (Sco) 

82 M Grönberg (Swe) 

84 Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 

87 N Wimmer (am) (Aut) 

89 S Straka (am) (Aut)

 

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATION