Scott Jamieson has continued his good form soaring into a share of second place thanks to an eagle finish after the opening round of the Genesis Championship at Incheon and close to Seoul in South Korea.
Jamieson had just birdied the 17th hole to move to three-under-par when he chipped-in at the closing par-5 18th and a score of 67 on the host Jack Nicklaus course.
The effort handed the Florida-based Scot a seven-way tie at five-under and only a shot adrift of Spaniard Ivan Cantero.
Jamieson’s effort just outside the South Korean capital comes after two excellent opening rounds at last week’s Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters that saw him head into the weekend rounds sharing third place but sadly with any chance of a second Tour title spoint by a weekend pair of 73s
However there seems to have been no jet-lag from the affable Scot in Seoul and where a year ago he shared third place in the maiden hosting of the tournament.
SCOT @scottjamieson54 SOARING IN SEOUL ….
With Jamieson @MigomBank depositing a stunning 1⃣2⃣-yard shot into the cup at the last & soar to share of 2⃣nd #GenesisChampionship ️♂️
Read: https://t.co/xEA6VMAa09
✅ @TOURMISS @Record_Sport (Bernie) pic.twitter.com/KbedlEksrH
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) October 24, 2024
Jamieson’s effort is just the Korean kick-start he needed teeing-up at 85th on the Race to Dubai and needing to be top-70 at tournament end if he’s to move onto to next fortnight’s $9m Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. Heading into round two, Jamieson is being predicted to jump 26 places to 59th on the Race to Dubai.
Better still for Cantero who began the week on the bubble in 117th place and three spots outside the 114th ranking cut-off mark for 2025 Tour membership, but thanks to seven birdies he leads the field at six under.
“Obviously I need a good week or I am out of the the main Tour, but I have one more week, one more chance and my game is in good condition,” Cantero said who is playing the first two rounds along fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal who won Korean event last year.
“I hit good drivers and with this course, if you are in good position, it is possible to have a good score.
“Today I made putts and the last couple of weeks I missed a lot of putts and my confidence was down all the time, and now I am confident with my putting and my driver.
“Of course playing with Pablo (Larrazábal) is always good, he gave me a lot of advice on the golf course and I am very happy.”
The home duo of Byeong Hun An and Hongtaek Kim along with Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat, South Africa’s Casey Jarvis, Scott Jamieson, Swede Jonas Blixt and Englishman Richard Mansell sit one adrift, with a further ten players at four under.
Play was suspended with six players, including Blixt, yet to complete their opening rounds.