Marcus Kinhult will take a two-stroke lead into the second round of the Nexo Championship after carding a 67 at Trump International Golf Links on Thursday.
Related: Forrest to chase historic win in title defence on home soil
It was an impressive opening day from the Swede, who mixed seven birdies with two bogeys to set the initial target of five under par in blustery Aberdeenshire conditions.
View this post on Instagram
Kinhult, starting on the tenth tee, produced a flawless opening nine holes, posting three birdies to go out in 33. The 30-year-old picked up another shot after the turn before a dropped shot at the second – his 11th hole – momentarily halted the momentum.
A second blemish at the par-five fourth came thanks to a wayward tee shot; a bogey six a lucky escape for the DP World Tour winner, who then capitalised on his fortune with a trio of consecutive birdies and pair of pars on his way home.
It was enough to take pole position after day one, two strokes ahead of amateur Eliot Baker, fellow Englishman Andrew Wilson, France’s Félix Mory and Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith.
View this post on Instagram
Baker, who was announced on Tuesday as part of the Great Britain and Ireland team for next month’s Walker Cup, marked his DP World Tour debut with an opening round of 69.
The 23 year-old registered an eagle, two birdies and three bogeys across the front nine, before collecting birdies at the 11th and the 18th to finish his day at three under and in a share of second.
Dane Jacob Skov Olesen, among the best of the morning performers, was in a group a further shot back, alongside compatriot Lucas Bjerregaard, English pair Matthew Southgate and Haydn McCullen, Sweden’s Albin Bergstrom, Japan’s Keita Nakajima, Australia’s Jason Scrivener and Scotland’s own Scott Jamieson.
View this post on Instagram
Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed finished his round at even par, as did John Daly II in his DP World Tour debut, while defending champion Grant Forrest posted a 73 to sit at one over.
Player quotes:
Marcus Kinhult: It was a very ugly minus five. Tee to green, it was not great to be honest – I’m not going to complain, I’m very happy with the score, but I was a little bit off off the tee, and also into the green. My short game and putting was unbelievable today, which obviously helps, so I’m happy with the score.
I think the bogey on four the most important, to be honest, because I lost a ball left off the tee, so I made birdie on my second ball, which was good for the momentum. Had I made a seven there, it would’ve been tough to get back I guess, and that six felt very, very good. Then some bonus putts dropped in the end there as well.
I don’t know the split, but I feel like the afternoon was probably a bit easier than this morning. When I walked outside this morning at 7 o’clock, it was raining pretty hard and it was cold, so I think we got the better draw today. It was tough. It’s slightly different this year, I remember last year the wind was the other direction, so the course is playing completely different, so it’s a good challenge for sure.
