Paul Peterson continued his superb form and Daniel Brooks finished strong as the duo finished the first round of the European Masters in a four-way share of the lead with Frenchmen Mike Lorenzo-Vera and Gregory Havret.
Advertisement
Despite qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team last week, Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick had a day to forget after firing a round 75 to sit five-over par.
He started off horribly, hitting two bogeys and double bogey while playing the 10th-18th holes first and then recovered to card a bogey and two birdies on the next nine.
Three birdies over the closing stretch parachuted Andrew “Beef” Johnston in to the tie for fifth that also includes James Morrison, while Miguel Angel Jimenez lies in the group three shots back after a three-under 67.
Willett, 28, has struggled since winning his first major at Augusta in April. finishing no higher than 37th place at the US Open, The Open Championship, the US PGA Championship and the Rio Olympics.
Lee Westwood, the only other Ryder Cup player in the field, bogeyed the last to card an opening-round 72, as captain Darren Clarke quadruple-bogeyed the 18th to close an eight-over 78.
“It kind of helped”.
Peterson, who held off Ryder Cup wild card Thomas Pieters to win his first European Tour title in the Czech Masters a fortnight ago, carded seven birdies and a single bogey to set a clubhouse target.
Advertisement
Lorenzo-Vera completes the leading quartet.
