Golf

Bogey-free Bourdy leads the way at Lyoness Open in Austria

Ireland’s Peter Lawrie three shots off the pace after opening 68

England’s David Horsey plays an iron shot during his first round at the the Lyoness Open at the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg, Austria. Photo: Paul Thomas/Getty Images
England’s David Horsey plays an iron shot during his first round at the the Lyoness Open at the Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg, Austria. Photo: Paul Thomas/Getty Images
Thu Jun 11 2015 - 19:08

Frenchman Gregory Bourdy's precise iron play saw him take a two-shot lead in the first round of the Lyoness Open in Austria but he was still not satisfied.

The 33-year-old missed just one green in regulation in a seven-under 65 as he became the first player of the day to come in bogey-free at the Diamond Club in Atzenbrugg – despite being one of the later finishers having teed off at 1pm local time.

Breezy conditions and a course playing hard and fast caused others some difficulties but not Bourdy, who made three birdies in his first four holes and had caught the clubhouse leaders by the time he picked up his fifth stroke at the 370-yard 13th.

“I am pleased with seven under, of course, but it actually could have been even more,” said Bourdy, who has had three top-10s this year but all between January and mid-March.

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He led by two from the English duo of Robert Dinwiddie and Chris Wood, Spain's Carlos del Moral and German Max Kieffer.

Peter Lawrie leads the Irish challenge after a bogey-free four-under 68 for a share of sixth position.

Dinwiddie, who missed the second half of last season with a ruptured disc in his back, carded his best round in almost two years.

He had missed nine successive cuts on his return until last week’s Nordea Masters but finally found his form with an eagle at the opening par five setting him on his way.

“It’s the longest I’ve ever had away from golf,” the 32-year-old Londoner told europeantour.com in relation to his injury.

“I didn’t realise how long it might take me to get my game back but I feel I am getting closer and this round showed that a bit.”

In-form Wood raced to three under with successive birdies in the middle of the back nine, having started at the 10th, but a bogey at the 591-yard 16th halted his momentum, although he recovered with three further birdies.

Kieffer’s only dropped shot came at the 479-yard ninth as he joined the trio in second at five under.

Simon Thornton made a promising start thanks to a two-under 70, with the rest of the Irish contingent ending the opening round on the wrong side of par. Michael Hoey mixed four birdies with five bogeys in a one-over 73, while Waterford's Kevin Phelan is a shot further back after a 74.

Gareth Maybin (76) and Damien McGrane (77) both have their work cut out to make the cut. The same goes for home favourite Bernd Wiesberger, runner up last year, who played some "catastrophic" shots in a seven-over 79.