SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — South Korean Tom Kim dealt with troublesome climate circumstances to card a 7-under 64 and take a one-shot first-round lead on the French Open on Thursday.
Englishman Matthew Southgate bogeyed the ultimate gap to put up a 65 together with countryman Richard Mansell, Spaniard Alfredo Garcia-Heredia and Swede Joakim Lagergren, though Lagergren didn’t have time to play the 18th gap.
The 21-year-old Kim, who tied for second place at this yr’s British Open at Hoylake, had a relaxed method to creating his match debut.
“I didn’t actually anticipate something. It performed actually exhausting as we speak with the rain. This course when it begins to rain and with the wind up, it’s not straightforward,” he stated. “I simply tried to play the spherical as stress-free as doable. I undoubtedly did that as we speak. I hit it rather well, positioned myself nicely off the tee and undoubtedly feeling good going into the subsequent three days.”
He’s presently in line for a qualification spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which can be held on the similar golf course on the outskirts of the town.
“(The Olympics being right here) is only a bonus,” he stated. “Figuring out the Olympics goes to be right here subsequent yr, if I can qualify then it’s undoubtedly good prep.”
Mansell was pleased with the best way he coped with difficult circumstances that concerned altering tees, with many gamers not beginning their rounds on gap No. 1.
“I performed sensible as we speak,” Mansell stated. “It’s a troublesome golf course so I used to be grateful a few the tees had been moved with the wind as a result of it didn’t cease hosing down all day.”
Final yr’s runner-up Rasmus Hojgaard was two photographs again at 5 beneath with 9 others at Le Golf Nationwide in Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines.
Defending champion Guido Migliozzi had a poor day and completed with a 1-over 72, together with a double bogey on gap 13 of the weather-beaten Albatros course. The Italian adopted up with two straight birdies to restrict the injury.
Migliozzi gained by one shot from Hojgaard final yr after a shocking 9 birdies noticed him tie the course report with a 9-under 62 within the ultimate spherical, clinching his third victory on the European Tour.
Hojgaard started with 5 birdies within the first 11 holes however managed none after that.
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