Porsche European Open in Germany report, scores
Fast start with a 64 for in-form Wiesberger
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Bernd Wiesberger took full advantage of the perfect conditions at Golf Club Bad Griesbach as he continued his fine summer form with a seven-under-par opening round of 64 in the Porsche European Open.
The Alstom Open de France champion has set his sights on another prestigious European Tour title, and he made a strong start in Germany, carding three birdies in his final four holes to join Frenchman Benjamin Hebert at the top of the leaderboard following a bogey-free round.
Hebert used his past experience of the course to his advantage as he posted seven birdies in his 64, the Frenchman having twice played the Beckenbauer Course on the Challenge Tour, making the cut on both occasions and finishing tied 22nd last year.
The pair are a shot clear of a group of four players, which includes Australian Richard Green who last week raced his own Porsche in the Norwegian GT3 National Series.
Green is joined in a share of third position by his playing partner Richard Bland, of England, South African Darren Ficardt and another Englishman, Graeme Storm, who rolled in a 20ft putt on the last hole for his sixth birdie of the day.
Course designer and German golfing legend Bernhard Langer is a further shot back on five under after a round of 66, the same total as American Hunter Mahan, who began his back nine by picking up six shots in four holes, a run which included eagles on the par five tenth and 12th holes.
Meanwhile, former US Open Champion Graeme McDowell returned to action for the first time since the US PGA Championship with an encouraging three-under-par round of 68. The Northern Irishman posted five birdies in his opening 12 holes to reach the top of the leaderboard, but ran into trouble on his penultimate hole - the eighth – which ultimately led to a double bogey seven. He is three shots off the pace in a share of 34th position.
Key Player quotes
Bernd Wiesberger – 64 (-7)
“I felt really good coming into this week. I played good golf last week and I dragged that into today as well, so I’m happy with the way I started this tournament. I am hitting the ball pretty well so few courses wouldn’t suit me right now. There’s not often you can say that but I felt in control of my ball flight and yardages. I had a few hiccups on the greens but you can’t have it all.
“You can see low scoring out here and perfect conditions so you need to take advantage of that and keep up. We had some great support out there today with Hunter and Bernhard. It was nice out there for all of us and we did feed off each other on the back nine where you feel you have to produce a good score.”
Benjamin Hebert – 64 (-7)
“I’ve played here two times already on the Challenge Tour and it is a good course. It was in great shape this afternoon and tomorrow the greens will be perfect in the morning. It does help playing here before. I know the course well. I know where we can be more aggressive and where to play easier. It’s a good advantage.
“I haven’t secured my card yet so I need to be focused on my game and I’m quite happy. When you feel good you just have to relax. This tournament is a god money tournament and the next two weeks with the Dunhill and British Masters, so I hope to continue this form and we will see at the end of the year.”
Richard Green – 65 (-6)
“Porsche is one of my favourite automobiles out there. I have two myself. They have made their bucks out of me. I race one and I have a GT3 at home. I love them. They are an awesome car so to see them as a sponsor this week has a good feeling. The European Open is a big tournament, it has a prestigious name, and it is one I would like on my list.
“I raced last week in Norway and had a great time. I’m planning on doing a little more next year and try my luck. If it falls in with the golf schedule I will do it more.”
Hunter Mahan – 66 (-5)
“I’ll take this every day, five under is a solid start. I’m excited to be here at the Porsche European Open and if I keep this up I’ll be happy. It was a great patch just after the turn for me. I was just getting a sense on the greens on the front nine.
"I had some good opportunities but just didn’t make them and then on the back nine I had some good looks, and some good putts for birdies and rolled them true. I had a couple of good breaks and a good stretch there which propelled me to five under.”
Graeme McDowell – 68 (-3)
“After five weeks off, coming back for the first time with a card in your pocket, you’d always take a start like that. I suppose it happened in disappointing circumstances, playing very well through 12 holes and making my two best swings of the day on five and six (his 14th and 15th) and missing those two putts, then I’m stood on the eighth tee, the par five, and I tried to hit one a little too hard.
"That is what this golf course has as a defence. You start missing shots and the rough is firm and the ball gets away into trouble. But all in all I’ll take that as a good start and I look forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
64 B Hebert (Fra) , B Wiesberger (Aut)
65 G Storm (Eng) , R Green (Aus) , R Bland (Eng) , D Fichardt (RSA)
66 R Karlsson (Swe) , R Finch (Eng) , D Lipsky (USA) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , C Schwartzel (RSA) , B Langer (Ger) , R McEvoy (Eng) , J Parry (Eng) , O Fisher (Eng) , J Edfors (Swe) , H Mahan (USA) , F Fritsch (Ger)
67 P Edberg (Swe) , D Horsey (Eng) , N Fasth (Swe) , J Donaldson (Wal) , R Fisher (Eng) , H Otto (RSA) , T Fisher Jnr (RSA) , M Jiménez (Esp) , M Carlsson (Swe) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , P Whiteford (Sco) , C Paisley (Eng) , J Morrison (Eng) , J Walters (RSA) , T Lewis (Eng)
68 L Bjerregaard (Den) , P Hanson (Swe) , C Wood (Eng) , B An (SKor) , L Slattery (Eng) , T Jaidee (Tha) , G McDowell (Nir) , T Fleetwood (Eng) , R Karlberg (Swe) , B Evans (Eng) , A Tadini (Ita) , S Benson (Eng) , S Jamieson (Sco) , P Uihlein (USA) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , P Mejow (Ger) , A Hortal (Esp) , S Kapur (Ind) , D Woltman (USA) , M Kieffer (Ger) , B Dredge (Wal) , V Riu (Fra) , L Jensen (Den) ,
69 S Hend (Aus) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , M Fraser (Aus) , K Broberg (Swe) , P Lawrie (Irl) , M Warren (Sco) , S Wakefield (Eng) , C Bouniol (Fra) , G Havret (Fra) , J Luiten (Ned) , A Hansen (Den) , J Scrivener (Aus) , M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) , M Schneider (Ger) , P Maddy (Eng) , M Ilonen (Fin) , E Espana (Fra) ,
70 K Ferrie (Eng) , A Choi (Can) , M Orrin (Eng) , M Bremner (RSA) , J Quesne (Fra) , S Einhaus (Ger) , C Lee (Sco) , J Lagergren (Swe) , T Van Der Walt (RSA) , N Elvira (Esp) , M Korhonen (Fin) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , S Heisele (Ger) , E De La Riva (Esp) , F Zanotti (Par) , T Olesen (Den) , K Phelan (Irl) , A Dodt (Aus) , M Hoey (Nir) , F Aguilar (Chi) , A Cañizares (Esp) , M Tullo (Chi) , M Lundberg (Swe) , A Quiros (Esp) ,
71 Y Yang (SKor) , D McGrane (Irl) , G Mulroy (RSA) , R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , S Hansen (Den) , G Stal (Fra) , M Nixon (Eng) , B Neumayer (Aut) , J Singh (Ind) , R Santos (Por) , M Ford (Eng) ,
72 A Otaegui (Esp) , A Levy (Fra) , N Colsaerts (Bel) , J Carlsson (Swe) , W Ormsby (Aus) , A Velasco (Esp) , S Manley (Wal) , J Roos (RSA) , P Oriol (Esp) , G Bourdy (Fra) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha) , R Wattel (Fra) , J Van Zyl (RSA) , T Murray (Eng) , A Wall (Eng) , D Howell (Eng) ,
73 J Campillo (Esp) , E Molinari (Ita) , C Doak (Sco) , S Hutsby (Eng) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , O Farr (Wal) , A Saddier (Fra) , A Pavan (Ita) , M Lampert (Ger) , M Rottluff (am) (Ger) , W Starke (am) (USA) ,
74 E Goya (Arg) , M Manassero (Ita) , R Paratore (Ita) , P Archer (Eng) , J Kruger (RSA) ,
75 O Wilson (Eng) , M Grönberg (Swe) , D Gaunt (Aus) , J Lando Casanova (Fra) , S Gallacher (Sco) ,
76 M Crespi (Ita) , M Foster (Eng) , S Jaeger (Ger) ,
77 J Barnes (Eng) , D Brooks (Eng) , C Lloyd (Eng) , S Thornton (Irl) ,
78 M Hoffmann (USA) , S Dodd (Wal) ,
79 T Levet (Fra) ,
84 S Strüver (Ger) ,
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Bernd Wiesberger took full advantage of the perfect conditions at Golf Club Bad Griesbach as he continued his fine summer form with a seven-under-par opening round of 64 in the Porsche European Open.
The Alstom Open de France champion has set his sights on another prestigious European Tour title, and he made a strong start in Germany, carding three birdies in his final four holes to join Frenchman Benjamin Hebert at the top of the leaderboard following a bogey-free round.
Hebert used his past experience of the course to his advantage as he posted seven birdies in his 64, the Frenchman having twice played the Beckenbauer Course on the Challenge Tour, making the cut on both occasions and finishing tied 22nd last year.
The pair are a shot clear of a group of four players, which includes Australian Richard Green who last week raced his own Porsche in the Norwegian GT3 National Series.
Green is joined in a share of third position by his playing partner Richard Bland, of England, South African Darren Ficardt and another Englishman, Graeme Storm, who rolled in a 20ft putt on the last hole for his sixth birdie of the day.
Course designer and German golfing legend Bernhard Langer is a further shot back on five under after a round of 66, the same total as American Hunter Mahan, who began his back nine by picking up six shots in four holes, a run which included eagles on the par five tenth and 12th holes.
Meanwhile, former US Open Champion Graeme McDowell returned to action for the first time since the US PGA Championship with an encouraging three-under-par round of 68. The Northern Irishman posted five birdies in his opening 12 holes to reach the top of the leaderboard, but ran into trouble on his penultimate hole - the eighth – which ultimately led to a double bogey seven. He is three shots off the pace in a share of 34th position.
Key Player quotes
Bernd Wiesberger – 64 (-7)
“I felt really good coming into this week. I played good golf last week and I dragged that into today as well, so I’m happy with the way I started this tournament. I am hitting the ball pretty well so few courses wouldn’t suit me right now. There’s not often you can say that but I felt in control of my ball flight and yardages. I had a few hiccups on the greens but you can’t have it all.
“You can see low scoring out here and perfect conditions so you need to take advantage of that and keep up. We had some great support out there today with Hunter and Bernhard. It was nice out there for all of us and we did feed off each other on the back nine where you feel you have to produce a good score.”
Benjamin Hebert – 64 (-7)
“I’ve played here two times already on the Challenge Tour and it is a good course. It was in great shape this afternoon and tomorrow the greens will be perfect in the morning. It does help playing here before. I know the course well. I know where we can be more aggressive and where to play easier. It’s a good advantage.
“I haven’t secured my card yet so I need to be focused on my game and I’m quite happy. When you feel good you just have to relax. This tournament is a god money tournament and the next two weeks with the Dunhill and British Masters, so I hope to continue this form and we will see at the end of the year.”
Richard Green – 65 (-6)
“Porsche is one of my favourite automobiles out there. I have two myself. They have made their bucks out of me. I race one and I have a GT3 at home. I love them. They are an awesome car so to see them as a sponsor this week has a good feeling. The European Open is a big tournament, it has a prestigious name, and it is one I would like on my list.
“I raced last week in Norway and had a great time. I’m planning on doing a little more next year and try my luck. If it falls in with the golf schedule I will do it more.”
Hunter Mahan – 66 (-5)
“I’ll take this every day, five under is a solid start. I’m excited to be here at the Porsche European Open and if I keep this up I’ll be happy. It was a great patch just after the turn for me. I was just getting a sense on the greens on the front nine.
"I had some good opportunities but just didn’t make them and then on the back nine I had some good looks, and some good putts for birdies and rolled them true. I had a couple of good breaks and a good stretch there which propelled me to five under.”
Graeme McDowell – 68 (-3)
“After five weeks off, coming back for the first time with a card in your pocket, you’d always take a start like that. I suppose it happened in disappointing circumstances, playing very well through 12 holes and making my two best swings of the day on five and six (his 14th and 15th) and missing those two putts, then I’m stood on the eighth tee, the par five, and I tried to hit one a little too hard.
"That is what this golf course has as a defence. You start missing shots and the rough is firm and the ball gets away into trouble. But all in all I’ll take that as a good start and I look forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
64 B Hebert (Fra) , B Wiesberger (Aut)
65 G Storm (Eng) , R Green (Aus) , R Bland (Eng) , D Fichardt (RSA)
66 R Karlsson (Swe) , R Finch (Eng) , D Lipsky (USA) , S Kjeldsen (Den) , C Schwartzel (RSA) , B Langer (Ger) , R McEvoy (Eng) , J Parry (Eng) , O Fisher (Eng) , J Edfors (Swe) , H Mahan (USA) , F Fritsch (Ger)
67 P Edberg (Swe) , D Horsey (Eng) , N Fasth (Swe) , J Donaldson (Wal) , R Fisher (Eng) , H Otto (RSA) , T Fisher Jnr (RSA) , M Jiménez (Esp) , M Carlsson (Swe) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , P Whiteford (Sco) , C Paisley (Eng) , J Morrison (Eng) , J Walters (RSA) , T Lewis (Eng)
68 L Bjerregaard (Den) , P Hanson (Swe) , C Wood (Eng) , B An (SKor) , L Slattery (Eng) , T Jaidee (Tha) , G McDowell (Nir) , T Fleetwood (Eng) , R Karlberg (Swe) , B Evans (Eng) , A Tadini (Ita) , S Benson (Eng) , S Jamieson (Sco) , P Uihlein (USA) , J Garcia Pinto (Esp) , P Mejow (Ger) , A Hortal (Esp) , S Kapur (Ind) , D Woltman (USA) , M Kieffer (Ger) , B Dredge (Wal) , V Riu (Fra) , L Jensen (Den) ,
69 S Hend (Aus) , R Gonzalez (Arg) , M Fraser (Aus) , K Broberg (Swe) , P Lawrie (Irl) , M Warren (Sco) , S Wakefield (Eng) , C Bouniol (Fra) , G Havret (Fra) , J Luiten (Ned) , A Hansen (Den) , J Scrivener (Aus) , M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) , M Schneider (Ger) , P Maddy (Eng) , M Ilonen (Fin) , E Espana (Fra) ,
70 K Ferrie (Eng) , A Choi (Can) , M Orrin (Eng) , M Bremner (RSA) , J Quesne (Fra) , S Einhaus (Ger) , C Lee (Sco) , J Lagergren (Swe) , T Van Der Walt (RSA) , N Elvira (Esp) , M Korhonen (Fin) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , S Heisele (Ger) , E De La Riva (Esp) , F Zanotti (Par) , T Olesen (Den) , K Phelan (Irl) , A Dodt (Aus) , M Hoey (Nir) , F Aguilar (Chi) , A Cañizares (Esp) , M Tullo (Chi) , M Lundberg (Swe) , A Quiros (Esp) ,
71 Y Yang (SKor) , D McGrane (Irl) , G Mulroy (RSA) , R Cabrera-Bello (Esp) , S Hansen (Den) , G Stal (Fra) , M Nixon (Eng) , B Neumayer (Aut) , J Singh (Ind) , R Santos (Por) , M Ford (Eng) ,
72 A Otaegui (Esp) , A Levy (Fra) , N Colsaerts (Bel) , J Carlsson (Swe) , W Ormsby (Aus) , A Velasco (Esp) , S Manley (Wal) , J Roos (RSA) , P Oriol (Esp) , G Bourdy (Fra) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha) , R Wattel (Fra) , J Van Zyl (RSA) , T Murray (Eng) , A Wall (Eng) , D Howell (Eng) ,
73 J Campillo (Esp) , E Molinari (Ita) , C Doak (Sco) , S Hutsby (Eng) , P Larrazábal (Esp) , O Farr (Wal) , A Saddier (Fra) , A Pavan (Ita) , M Lampert (Ger) , M Rottluff (am) (Ger) , W Starke (am) (USA) ,
74 E Goya (Arg) , M Manassero (Ita) , R Paratore (Ita) , P Archer (Eng) , J Kruger (RSA) ,
75 O Wilson (Eng) , M Grönberg (Swe) , D Gaunt (Aus) , J Lando Casanova (Fra) , S Gallacher (Sco) ,
76 M Crespi (Ita) , M Foster (Eng) , S Jaeger (Ger) ,
77 J Barnes (Eng) , D Brooks (Eng) , C Lloyd (Eng) , S Thornton (Irl) ,
78 M Hoffmann (USA) , S Dodd (Wal) ,
79 T Levet (Fra) ,
84 S Strüver (Ger) ,
EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Labels: EUROPEAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Thursday, September 24, 2015
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