The Irish quartet of Gareth Maybin, Michael Hoey, Padraig Harrington and Shane Lowry combined to produce an avalanche of eagles and birdies on the opening day of the European Masters in Switzerland.
Ballyclare-born Maybin is the best of the four posting a six under par 64 on the now Par 70 Crans-sur-Sierre course to be trailing just two shots behind in-form Scot Richie Ramsay and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari
Padraig Harrington on route to a four under par 66 on the first day of the European Masters. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
Ramsay, who went into last Sunday’s Italian Open final round in second place, posted a career low of an eight-under par 62 on a Swiss now for a first occasion playing to a par 70 while Molinari’s 62 matched his lowest score on Tour.
Hoey along with the England pair of Tommy Fleetwood and Graeme Storm share third place after rounds of 65 while Harrington had two eagles and Lowry an eagle in signing for four under par 66s.
And on top of three eagles, the Irish foursome combined to also record 21 birdies and seven bogeys.
Maybin is contesting his 159th Tour event with a best of three second place finishes but with the last being four years ago on the Costa del Sol.
“It was very encouraging as I played as I played very solid today, so it’s always encouraging when you not only play well but you also score well so when you put the two together it makes for a happy player,” he said.
“As well, the more you play this golf course the more you better learn to score better and I feel the last five or six years I have been coming here has helped me a lot.
“The key to my round today was my putting and apart from one poor putt on the eighth hole I putted really well, so I holed out well and really didn’t have to do anything as I holed a lot of putts from around 10 feet.”
And while Maybin still looks for that long overdue first Tour victory he is also conscious of securing his Tour card for next season.
Maybin arrived in The Alps currently lying 124th on the Race to Dubai and nine spots outside of the top-115 end-of-season cut-off mark.
“A good finish here would be a massive boost and to finish high-up in such a quality field this week would be also encouraging,” he said.
Hoey pared his opening seven holes and then birdied three in succession before his only bogey at the 11th before then grabbing three more birdies in his next four holes.
Lowry continued his impressive run in recent months and is already on target to make it nine full four rounds from 10 events.
The Clara golfer was level par after nine holes but then headed to the first or the 10th hole of his round holing out for eagle and then going birdie, birdie, bogey and birdie before paring his last four holes.
And Lowry showed he’s lost none of his competitive edge after having three weeks off since contesting the PGA Championship in Kentucky.
“It’s always a great week coming up here but then I’ve never done too well up here, so I am pretty pleased with a four under par start,” he said.
“I undertook a bit of practice in the three weeks off and the game is still there, so it’s been good to come back to competition after a break and virtually pick up from where I left off from.
“The key around here is for your iron play to be sharp and I was very pleased to hit a lot of good iron shots.”
