Lingmerth out in front in Quickens Loans National

DAVID Lingmerth is finding the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm to his liking as a flying start lifted him into a slender lead after the opening round of the Quicken Loans National.

The Swede registered four birdies in his opening six holes — although he dropped a shot on his second — en route to a five-under-par 65 that has given him a one-shot advantage over six players.

The Maryland venue was the scene of Lingmerth’s win in an event on the developmental Web.com Tour five years ago and he admitted it is a course that holds happy memories.

He said: “Coming here it’s going to give me great feelings knowing I have won here. Design-wise the course is the exact same, it seems to suit my eye really well.

“It’s playing maybe a little bit different but look-wise it’s the exact same and I seem to like it.”

Lingmerth only missed a couple of fairways all day and some fine putting on the greens lifted him to the top of the leaderboard.

Starting on the back nine, he drove out of a bunker to within 12 feet on the opening hole before holding his nerve to sink the putt but immediately dropped back to level par after three-putting the par-four 11th.

But he then followed up a par with three successive birdies — the last of which featured a putt from near 20 feet on the 15th — while he reached the turn in 31 after a fabulous approach on the 18th left him with a simple tap-in.

American trio Troy Merritt, Johnson Wagner and Daniel Summerhays, plus Canada’s Nick Taylor, Sung Kang of South Korea and Australia’s Marc Leishman all trail by one after carding four-under-par rounds.

Scotland’s Martin Laird is a shot further back.