Tour round-up: G-Mac's eagle two; rookie pros; Porthcawl; Moscow
Graeme McDowell celebrates his eagle.
PGA Tour — Graeme McDowell failed to shake off his jet lag and put in a tired finish but even at that he was still smiling after holing a three hybrid from 213 yards for an eagle two en route to a two under 68 in the first round of the RBC Canadian Open at Royal Montreal.
"We were talking on the tee box about 11 being one of the stouter par-fours on the golf course," McDowell said of the 530-yard hole at Royal Montreal's Blue Course. "It was back into the wind today and I hint my Sunday best drive and a three hybrid and when it landed, it's always nice to get that cheer. That never gets old."
Michael Putman shot on six under 64 to share the lead with Tim Petrovic.
Still battling to make it into the Ryder Cup team despite his win in France and his share of ninth in the Open last week, he said: "I'm trying to view the summer as one big challenge and I really try to take the emphasis off the importance of each shot. I try to make sure I am focussed and ready for each event I play this summer.
"I've paced myself so far this year to allow myself to be on top form and top energy wise coming into the summer and it seems to be paying off so far."
Two under after birdies at the fourth and fifth, McDowell struggled with his swing and bogeyed the sixth and eight and ninth before making birdie at the 10th and following his eagle at the 11th with a birdie two at the 12th.
Fighting the lefts, he bogeyed the 15th and confessed: "I hit the wall coming in there those lat four holes. It's my bedtime UK time right now. Typically I shake off this type of let lag quickly but coming off the Open Championship last week it's been tiring week."
European Tour — David Horsey sparkled with a flawless seven under par 65 in the first round of the M2M Russian Open to lead by one shot at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club.
He leads by one from Scott Jamieson and Peter Whiteford with Damien McGrane and Kevin Phelan tied 15th, four behind after three under 69s.
Simon Thornton's 70 left him tied 23rd but David Higgins had a poor opening nine of six over 42 and did well to post a seven over 79
Challenge Tour — Reeve Whitson shot a three over 74 on his professional debut in the Challenge Tour's Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France as Gareth Shaw fired a five under 66 to trail leader Pierre Relecom by a stroke.
The Mourne golfer, who hopes to get seven Challenge Tour invitations, is tied for 109th with Dubliner Niall Kearney tied 10th ager a 67 and Alan Dunbar tied 67th after a 72.
The son of Royal County Down professional Kevan Whitson, the former Spanish Amateur Open winner joined Stephanie Meadow in speaking to the BBC last weekend about the move into the professional ranks.
European Senior Tour — Bernhard Langer tamed a fiery Royal Porthcawl, carding seven birdies, including on both of the closing two holes, for a six under par round of 65 and a two-stroke lead over early pace-setter Bob Tway in the c.
A crowd of 8,763 lined the fairways of the Bridgend links to see some of the game’s most iconic names in action, and on a day when only six players broke par, it was the two-time Masters Champion Langer who impressed the most.
Malahide's Philip Walton was in position early after early birdies but dropped three shots coming home for a one over 72 leaving him tied for 16th with Philip Walton.
Ronan Rafferty is tied 59th after a 79 with Denis O'Sullian's disappointing 80 only good enough for tied 15th.
PGA EuroproTour — Reeve Whitson wasn't the only Irish player to make his professional debut this week. Lucan's Richard O'Donovan debuted in the Kingspan Concra Wood Open but shot rounds of 82 and 81 to miss the four over par cut by 15 shots.
He'll be hoping for better in The Walk in My Shoes Open at Mount Wolseley next week but in Castleblayney there's still a lot to play for with rounds of 68 and 70 leaving Banbridge's Richard Kilpatrick tied for third, just four shot behind England's George Thacker.
Rick Weldon (71) and Jonathan Caldwell (74) are tied 13th on on one under with Colm Moriarty (75) and Mount Wolseley amateur Mark Morrissey (70) tied 25th and Mark Murphy (75) tied 50th the only other Irishmen to make the cut.
