Scots five off lead on a windy day at Nordea Masters

Jamieson and Ramsay leading Scots in Sweden

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

Renato Paratore and Max Orrin share the lead after day one at the Nordea Masters, with blustery conditions contributing to some tough scoring at Barsebäck Golf and Country Club in Sweden.

With the morning bringing the worst of the day’s winds, just 12 of the early starters managed to get round under par. Twenty-year-old Italian Paratore, one of the quickest players on the European Tour, was the best of them, recovering from two early bogeys to post a 68 and lead the way at the conclusion of the morning session.

Englishman Orrin, a former GB and I Walker Cup player from Margate, had joined him at five under par by the close of play, with the 23 year old shrugging off a double-bogey at the third hole - his 12^th - to finish with three birdies in his last five holes.

Welsh duo Jamie Donaldson and Bradley Dredge are one off the lead at four under par, with Frenchman Benjamin Hebert, England's Eddie Pepperell and Haotong Li of China a shot further back.

It was a disappointing day for the marquee group, with defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick finishing on level par, and Sweden’s hottest golfing properties Henrik Stenson and Alex Noren at level par and two over respectively.
 

Player Quotes

Renato Paratore: “I didn’t start well, I was two over after four holes, but from there to the 18^th I played really well, really solid, so in the end it was a good round.

“I was playing well even with the two bogies, so I just had to stay patient, and that helped me to get to five under par.

“The key for me today was the driver from the tee. That’s very important here because it’s a narrow course. Today it was important that I managed to drive really well.

“It’s a tricky course – both the front nine through the trees and the back nine down at the coast.”

Max Orrin: “It was tough out there. There were a lot of swirling winds and cross winds as well, so it was difficult to judge clubs. But I managed to put a good score together in the end, so I’m very happy with that.

“I missed it on the right sides a lot of the time if I didn’t hit the greens. There are small greens around here so if you do short side yourself you’ll struggle to make an up and down. I holed some key putts and just scrambled a round together.

“I’ve been playing well recently and putting some good numbers on the board. I played on Monday at the U.S. Open qualifier and got close there. There are some really good signs with my putting. I’m just really enjoying being out there at the moment.”

Henrik Stenson: “I don’t think it was too bad. It was tricky in the morning, it was cold and windy. Now we’re back in t-shirts but I had on four layers this morning during the warm up and the first couple of holes. The weather and the temperature was improving throughout the day.

“Game-wise it was OK. Nothing too great and nothing too bad. I kept it somewhat tidy. There were a couple of dropped shots and a couple of birdies, so level par. I don’t know what more to say about it.

“It was nice to finish with a birdie. I made about a 12 footer on the ninth there to finish the day level and I’m not in a super-bad position so hopefully it can improve from here."

Round One Scores

par 71

68 R Paratore (Ita) , M Orrin (Eng)  
69 J Donaldson (Wal) , B Dredge (Wal) 
70 E Pepperell (Eng) , B Hebert (Fra) , L Haotong (China) 
71 J Lima (Por) , J Winther (Den) , S Chawrasia (Ind) , S Hend (Australia) , S Soderberg (Swe) , T Lewis (Eng) , A Wu (Chn) ,
72 T Olesen (Den) , T Jaidee (Tha) , J Wang (SKor) , J Van Zyl (SAf) , S Lee (SKor) , R Karlberg (Swe) , R Green (Aus) , F Aguilar (Chi) , A Connelly (Can) , M Southgate (Eng) , P Edberg (Swe) , J Fahrbring (Swe) 
73 N Colsaerts (Bel) , G Coetzee (SAf) , S Jamieson (Sco) , P Peterson (USA) , R Ramsay (Sco) , D Brooks (Eng) , K Broberg (Swe) , C Paisley (Eng) , P Hanson (Swe) , J Quesne (Fra) , K Aphibarnrat (Tha) , J Parry (Eng) , G Bourdy (Fra) , L Bjerregaard (Den) , A Sullivan (Eng) , N Elvira (Spn) , L Westwood (Eng) , J Guerrier (Fra) , H Stenson (Swe) , M Fitzpatrick (Eng) , G Storm (Eng) , S Dyson (Eng) , M Ilonen (Fin) , S Kapur (India) , R Langasque (Fra) , Z Lombard (SAf) 
74 O Fisher (Eng) , R Wattel (Fra) , L Canter (Eng) , A Levy (Fra) , M Pavon (Fra) , N Kimsey (Eng) , R Echenique (Arg) , J Lagergren (Swe) , M Siem (Ger) , A Wall (Eng) , L Jensen (Den) , J Campillo (Spn) , C Blomstrand (Swe) , S Walker (Eng) , C Wood (Eng) , M Warren (Sco) , S Gallacher (Sco) , D Frittelli (SAf) 
75 A Otaegui (Spn) , R Gouveia (Por) , S Gros (Fra) , N Lemke (Swe) , R Fox (NZ} , P Waring (Eng) , J Carlsson (Swe) , R Sterne (SAf) , M Armitage (Eng) , D Lipsky (USA) , A Noren (Swe) , J Walters (SAf) , R McEvoy (Eng) , T Bjørn (Den) , P Larrazábal (Spn) , J Smith (Eng) , T Immelman (SAf) , N Bertasio (Ita) , M Manassero (Ita) 
76 S Brazel (Australia) , W Ormsby (Australia) , J Stalter (Fra) , C Hanson (Eng) , A Bernadet (Fra) , R Rock (Eng) , G Stal (Fra) , A Björk (Swe) , B Rumford (Australia) , O Stark (Swe) , A Chesters (Eng) , S Heisele (Ger) , T Detry (Bel) , H Porteous (SAf) , A Cañizares (Spn) , M Fraser (Australia) , E De La Riva (Spn) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , D Im (USA) , O Gillberg (am) (Swe) , H Rönneblad (am) (Swe) , F Nilehn (am) (Swe) 
77 R Gonzalez (Arg) , A Dodt (Aus) , R Jacquelin (Fra) , A Hansen (Den) , S Manley (Wal) , D Drysdale (Sco) , M Nixon (Eng) , G Havret (Fra) , J Luiten (Ned) , Z Wright (USA) , P Maddy (Eng) , J Scrivener (Australia) , M Larsson (Swe) , R Bland (Eng) , M Miller (USA) , J Edfors (Swe) , N Fasth (Swe) 
78 P Widegren (Swe) , M Kieffer (Ger) , J Ahlers (SAf) , A Knappe (Ger) , J Dantorp (Swe) , P Dunne (Ire) , R Finch (Eng) , M Foster (Eng) , P Angles (Spn) 
79 R Dinwiddie (Eng) , S Henry (Sco) , G Kristjansson (Iceland), J Rutherford (Eng) , G King (Eng) , O Lengden (Swe) , D Perrier (Fra) 
80 M Atlevi (Swe) , C Shinkwin (Eng) , N Johansson (Swe) , A Karlsson (Swe) , S Tiley (Eng) , M Carlsson (Swe) , R Johnson (Swe) 
81 L Slattery (Eng) , F Fritsch (Ger) 
82 D Stewart (Sco) , R Karlsson (Swe)