Gregory Bourdy boosted interest in France winning the 2018 Ryder Cup bid next week in setting a new course record on the opening day of the Iberdrola Open in Majorca.
French ace Gregory Bourdy shoots a new course record 63.
Bourdy had just 24 putts in his round of a seven-under par 63 in superb conditions on the Jose Maria Olazabal redesigned Pula course.
The 29-year old Bordeaux-born Bourdy won his first Tour event in Majorca in 2007 and again showed his fondness for the Mediterranean holiday island with a round that included nine birdies and two bogeys.
Leader board after first round.
Boudy’s score is two strokes lower than the previous best of a 65 held by South African James Kingston and fellow Frenchman Christain Cevaer.
“It’s great to shoot a new course record but then I didn’t know it was a new record until now, so that’s a great surprise when you hand in your score card,” he said.
Bourdy’s best on the European is a pair of 63s.
He produced a course record in the 2008 Estoril Open in Portugal and also a 63 on route to victory in the 2009 UBS Hong Kong Open.
England’s Danny Willett is in second place after signing for a 66 while Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke returned to ‘work’ after a family vacation in the Bahamas, to post a 65 and is best score since a pair of 64s last November in Hong Kong.
A rare sight - the three leaders also as they appear in the opening two round draw.
England’s Matthew Nixon then joined Clarke with a 65.
With the exception of Nixon, the three others were out in the morning half of the draw.
And in a bizarre scenario the names – Bourdy, Willett and Clarke – appear one after the other in the groups appearing on the leader board.
And among those also teeing off early was New Zealand’s Mark Brown and Norway’s Erik Tage Johansen.
Mark Brown - No prize for his ace. Just the honour on the next tee.
Both players aced the par three, 13th hole.
However Brown gave two strokes straight back when he doubled the par four, 14th on route to a three over par 73 on the par 70 layout.
Johansen, who had birdied the 12th, bogeyed the 14th on route to a level par 70.
There was no prize for the duo just the honour on the next tee.
Unfortunately for the Kiwi and Norwegian the prize of a new Euro 49,000 Mercedes coupe is on offer for the first hole-in-one at the par three, eighth hole.
