Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France: Englishman Paul Waring fired an opening-round seven-under-par 64 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the French Open at Golf National on Thursday.
The world number 279 carded seven birdies in his bogey-free effort to sit atop the leaderboard, with Belgian Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters in a three-way tie for second place.
Spaniard Jon Rahm signed for a one-under 70 as he looks to boost his chances of playing in the Ryder Cup at Golf National next year, while Tommy Fleetwood, who challenged at the US Open earlier this month, is only three strokes off the lead.
The 32-year-old Waring had four birdies in five holes on the back nine on his way to the lead.
Waring, who is having the best season of his career so far, will play at a Major championship for the first time since 2008 at next month’s British Open.
“I’m obviously made up,” he told the European Tour website. “I only hit five fairways which is obscene around here. But I had ten putts on the back nine.”
“Obviously rolled the putter great and gave myself some real chances out there and took them.”
Pieters, 25, is looking for his first title of the season after three top-10 finishes, including at the Masters in April.
The world number 28 poured in three successive birdies on the Albatros course on his way to a round of 66, with a bogey on the par-five ninth his only blemish.
England’s Fleetwood, who reached a career-high ranking of 21st by finishing fourth in the US Open at Erin Hills, is another who will be expecting to qualify for Thomas Bjorn’s European Ryder Cup team.
He hit 17 of 18 greens to get off to a solid start in the tournament that has substantial Ryder Cup points on offer as part of the European Tour’s eight-event Rolex Series.
The 22-year-old Rahm mixed four birdies with a bogey and a double bogey in his first round in a European Tour event that isn’t co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour.
“Hopefully I can keep my game up and hopefully I will be able to represent Europe, my first Ryder Cup in Europe in a great city and so close to Spain where hopefully I’ll be able to get some support,” said Rahm, who has soared to number 11 in the world less than a year after turning professional.
“I really can’t describe how it will feel but I know it will be a pretty amazing feeling. I’m excited to try to play my best golf to make that dream come true.”
Nathan Kimsey and Sweden’s Alexander Bjork are the other two players tied for second with Pieters, while Thailand’s defending champion Thongchai Jaidee struggled to a one-over-par 72. — AFP
French Open scores
Leading first-round scores in the 101st French Open at Golf National near Paris on Thursday. Par 71 (GBR/IRL unless stated):
64 - Paul Waring
66 - Nathan Kimsey, Thomas Pieters (BEL), Alexander Bjork (SWE)
67 - Florian Fritsch (GER), Tommy Fleetwood, Peter Uihlein (USA)
68 - Rikard Karlberg (SWE), George Coetzee (RSA), Adrian Otaegui (ESP), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Kristoffer Broberg (SWE), Adrien Saddier (FRA), Andy Sullivan
69 - Graeme McDowell, Scott Hend (AUS), Martin Kaymer (GER), Joost Luiten (NED), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Duncan Stewart, Gary Stal (FRA), Alexander Levy (FRA), Clement Berardo (FRA), Brandon Stone (RSA), Callum Shinkwin, Marcel Siem (GER), Bradley Dredge, Alex Noren (SWE), Nino Bertasio (ITA), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Liu Yan-Wei (CHN)
Selected:
70 - Jon Rahm (ESP)
71 - Lee Westwood, Francesco Molinari (ITA)
72 - Ian Poulter, Victor Dubuisson (FRA), Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Danny Willett
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