MUNICH, Germany: Sergio Garcia marked his return to Europe for the first time since his Masters triumph with an opening round 66 to sit two shots off the lead at the BMW International Open on Thursday.
The Spaniard enjoyed a bogey-free round at the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, while Australia’s Wade Ormsby carded an eight-under 64 to take the overall lead, one ahead of Thomas Detry of Belgium.
Garcia, who was joined on 66 by Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark and Dutch player Joost Luiten, started on the 10th hole and birdied the 11th, 16th and 18th to turn in 33.
A beautiful approach to the fifth set up another gain before the Spaniard took advantage of the par-five sixth and then put his tee shot to the par-three eighth to close range.
“It was great,” Garcia told www.europeantour.com.
“I felt like I played quite well, not spectacular, but very consistent throughout the whole day. I was very happy to see some of the shots I hit and some of the putts I made and very happy with my six under.
“There’s still three more to go, so we’re going to keep playing hard and hopefully we’ll have some more like this and we’ll be up there on Sunday.”
For Ormsby, it was a day to remember after the Australian arrived in Germany on the back of three missed cuts.
“We actually came here this morning to practise early which I’ve never done before, I just knew there was something there and I wasn’t getting what I wanted,” admitted Ormsby.
“I obviously found something today and I just kept on working what we’re trying to work on, which isn’t normally me, I play by feel.”
British Open champion Henrik Stenson is one of 12 players on five under. — AFP
BMW International Open scores
Selected first round scores
(GBR/IRL unless stated, par 72):
64 - Wade Ormsby (AUS)
65 - Thomas Detry (BEL)
66 - Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Sergio Garcia (ESP), Joost Luiten (NED)
67 - Richard Bland, Shiv Kapur (IND), Joel Stalter (FRA), Daniel Im (USA), Jaco Ahlers (RSA), Matthew Southgate, Rikard Karlberg (SWE), James Morrison, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA), Andreas Romero (ARG), Tommy Fleetwood, Henrik Stenson (SWE)
68 - Hennie Otto (RSA), Ryan Fox (NZL), Alvaro Quiros (ESP), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Brett Rumford (AUS), Niclas Fasth (SWE), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Max Orrin, Borja Virto (ESP)
69 - Joakim Lagergren (SWE), Paul Maddy, Matteo Manassero (ITA), Florian Fritsch (GER), Peter Hanson (SWE), Felipe Aguilar (CHI), Jeff Winther (DEN), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Alexander Knappe (GER), Sean Crocker (USA), Jamie Rutherford, Trevor Fisher (RSA), Pontus Widegren (SWE), Nicolai von Dellingshausen (GER), Richard McEvoy, Jens Dantorp (SWE), Scott Henry, George Coetzee (RSA), Richard Green (AUS), Mark Foster
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