Stephen Gallacher is looking to turn his fast first day starts in Tour events into a hopeful second Tour success after posting a 67 on the opening day of the BMW International near Cologne.
Gallacher birdied four of his closing six holes in superb scoring conditions on the Gut Larcenhof course.
Stephen Gallacher not only looking for a new BMW but hoping his early round tee times will lead to a second Tour success. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
It left the flame-haired Scot just three strokes behind the leading duo of Australia’s Marcus Fraser and Paraguy’s Fabrizio Zanotti who carded 64s.
Three players including Ireland’s Paul McGinley and the England pair of Chris Wood and Danny Willett recorded 65s.
McGinley, who is favourite to captain Europe in two years at Gleneagles, posted his best opening round in seven years and finishing with three threes that included an eagle at 16, par at 17 and a final hole birdie.
However it had been an anxious drive down from Dusseldorf for the triple Ryder Cup winning stars with most of the afternoon players caught in an unexpected traffic jam.
It’s the first time in the 23-years of the event it has not been played in Munich and huge crowds flocked to the course.
It meant McGinley’s car being diverted down one lane roads lined with wheat and corn.
“Despite all the traffic, it’s a great problem for the European Tour to have and it will probably been the same next week at Portrush,” said McGinley.
Gallacher’s round is only the third time this year he’s posted a sub-70 opener in 11 Tour events this year.
And on two other occasions this season he’s started in the sixties, Gallacher has gone on to finish second in both the Dubai Desert Classic and Maybank Malaysian Open.
“I missed a putt for eagle at the third and also a birdie putt at the first, so it could have easily been a lot lower,” said Gallacher
“But while I felt as though I left a few out there, it’s a good start.”
And Gallacher, who is still looking to capture a second Tour title since winning at St. Andrews in 2004, admitted he’s always enjoyed playing in the morning half of the draw.
“I just like playing early in the day as I’m usually up early around 6.30am when I’m at home and this morning I was up at 5am so I don’t mind the early starts,” he said.
And this week heralds the start of a busy run of events for the 37-year old with the goal making his way into the July 19th commencing Open Championship.
Next Monday, Gallacher will be among seven Scots teeing-up at an Open qualifier at Sunningdale and with the leading 10 players from 96 starters winning through to Royal Lytham and St. Annes.
Gallacher is then due to contest the Irish Open, French Open and then a Paul Lawrie corporate outing at Skibo Castle on the Monday before the Scottish Open.
“I’ve got a lot of golf coming up with this week the start of four in a row for me and five if I get into The Open,” he said.
“These weeks can either make or break your season. If you do well these four week, and five if I get into The Open, then I could be looking at the U.S. PGA Championship.”
Colin Montgomerie and Stephen O’Hara posted 69s but with Monty’s main concern after his round was changing the grip on his putter.
Monty had 33 putts in his round of four birdies and just one bogey.
He said: “I just putted very poorly today and that’s why I want to get my putter grip changed.
“I played great tee to green but I need to change something in my putter before tomorrow, so I’ll start with the grip.”
