Three days after thrill of racing on the famed Nurburgring race circuit and Australia’s Richard Green set the fastest lap all week of a 10-under par 62 at the BMW International Open.
Green’s effort is the lowest round all week and consisted of an eagle and eight birdies was his lowest-ever round under par in 19 years competing on the European Tour.
The Melbourne-born Green moved into the clubhouse lead on 14-under par and a shot clear of Welshman Jamie Donaldson who, along with Wade Ormsby, spent Wednesday afternoon racing VW Golf GTI sedans on the circuit located about 70 kilometers south of Cologne and venue for this week’s event.
The full Nurburgring circuit measures 20.8 kilometers and has more than 300 meters of elevation changes. Legendary British-born Grand Prix champion Jackie Stewart nicknamed the old track ‘The Green Hell’, and it is widely considered to be the most demanding and difficult purpose-built racing circuit in the world.
And Donaldson, who carded a 65, agreed and indicating he was so exhausted that he only completed two laps on Wednesday.
However Green was doubly excited not only after completing his inward nine in 28 shots and taking 26 putts overall, but also looking forward to returning to the Nurburgring should the BMW International Open again return to Cologne.
“It was an awesome experience on Wednesday and something I have always dreamed of doing,” said Green wearing a cap sporting a Valvoline motor oil logo.
“So it put a bit of racing fuel into the veins this week and that’s for sure.
“Myself, Wade Ormsby and Jamie Donaldson just decided to go for the afternoon. They put us into race rental cars, VW Golf GTIs.
“But then in coming back out onto the course on Thursday it’s a different feeling so you have to calm yourself down.
“However I would still love to go back to the Nurburging again and race as it’s one of those circuits that it is definitely the heart and soul of motor racing in Europe.
“It seems that whenever I involve a little bit of motor racing with my golf, I play well and that’s been the case this week.”
Green is no stranger to visiting legendary race circuits and has been a visitor to the nearby Zanvoort circuit, and former venue for the Dutch F1 Grand Prix, when the KLM Open has been staged in Holland.
There was also a time when he was out competing in a Volvo Masters on the Montecastillo course in Spain and with his interest on the sounds coming from the Jerez circuit laid out next door to the golf course.
“I’ve also been out to the BMW test circuit many times when this event is held in Munich and the Estoril circuit when we contested the Portugal Open but then that is nothing compared to the experience on Wednesday at the Nurburgring,” he said.
“However there was no lap times as you had to swipe a car at a boom gate before going onto the track and you couldn’t complete a full lap as you had to come off the track before starting another lap because the main straight is a 300 kph straight and just mega dangerous.
“I couldn’t even see how fast I was going as there is so many different corners and you are just so focused.
“There would have been about 40 other cars on the full circuit at the same time and probably within about 10 minutes of going out onto the track someone had run into a fence, and then on my third lap someone also went into the ‘Armco’ fence.
“But I just want to go back and race the circuit again.”
Footnote –
Green owns a Porsche race car that he races occasionally at Silverstone. The car’s race number is 63 and Green’s previous lowest score over a par 72 course.
Now after shooting a 62 he may find himself having to change the number on the car.
After shooting a European Tour par 72 low of 62 Richard Green may now have to change the number on his race car.
