After having to take a detour through wheat and corn fields, Paul McGinley was singing the praise of ‘new technology’ in producing his best first round score in seven years on day one of the BMW International Open.
McGinley muscled his way to a ‘three, three, three’ conclusion to his round of a seven under par 65 to end the opening day of the Euro 2m event only one stroke from the lead on Gut Larcenhof course near Cologne.
It is McGinley’s lowest day one round since a similar seven under par figure on the first day of the 2005 TCL Classic in China, and on route to second place finish behind England’s Paul Casey.
Paul McGinley on route to a 65 and his lowest first day score in seven years. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
McGinley is sharing third place with the England pair of Danny Willett and Chris Wood.
Australia’s Marcus Fraser and Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zanotti share the lead after posting eight under par 64s.
BMW’s decision to move the tournament after 23 years in Munich to the Cologne/Dusseldorf region made for huge crowds on day one, and congested roads into the course.
McGinley’s and other courtesy cars were being met by officials just off the autobahn from their Dusseldorf hotels and then directed down single lane roads line with wheat and corn.
It still meant McGinley didn’t get to the Jack Nicklaus designed course to around an hour before tee off.
The triple Ryder Cup star was three under par after nine and after a birdie at the 13th McGinley eagled 16 from 25 feet, pared 17 and then holed a three footer to birdie the last and finish 3, 3, 3.
“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,” he said.
“But then you look at my finish it just shows how this new technology is helping players like myself.
“Take the par five, 16th. It played about 590-yards long with very little run on the ball but I’ve managed to get onto the green with a driver and 5-wood.
“Never in all my years coming here, and even when the fairways were firm, have I managed to find that green in two.
“That’s very pleasing to do that and to finish three, three, three I’ve turned a good round into a great round, and also with the greens not all that good this afternoon.
“So if I can go out in the morning tomorrow and shoot that same score with no spike marks I will be delighted.
“Even three shots worst I will still be delighted (smiling).”
McGinley has returned to competition after a two-week break with the first week spent working with youngsters at his academy in Quita de Largo in Portugal. The academy will be officially opened by McGinley later this year.
Last week it was back to school duties with his own children and business associated with his redesign work.
However McGinley’s on course concern is now a run of four events and possibly five should he qualify on Monday at Sunningdale for next month’s British Open.
“My leg is pretty sore after today’s round so I am going back to the hotel to ice it, and that’s my concern because I am playing these four in a row including the Irish , French and Scottish Opens.
“I’ve got Open qualifying on Monday so if I get through there, and I dearly want to qualify, then that will be five in a row.
“So I don’t know at this stage if I will make all four. I not only want to be playing at Royal Lytham but Irish, French and Scottish are also on great courses.
“And now that I look like to have a bit of form all six courses, including Sunningdale, are courses I really enjoy.”
