Hot start with his putter helps Pulkkanen set the early pace

Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen claimed a slender lead in the opening round of the Italian Open after setting a target which proved too hot to handle.

Out in the first group from the 10th tee at 7.30am, Pulkkanen birdied five of his first eight holes and picked up further shots on the fifth and sixth to card a sevenunder-par 64.

That gave the 29-year-old a one-shot lead over Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini, with world number five Justin Rose part of a five-strong group a shot further back on five under.

“My putter was really hot today,” Pulkkanen admitted. “I made a lot of putts, especially on my front nine. I made a lot of long putts. It was perfect greens, so easy to make them.

“I didn’t feel so comfortable with my warm-up today. It was a little dark on the range and I didn’t hit it well but it was a super score, so I’m really happy.”

Sabbatini was born in South Africa but now represents Slovakia, the home country of his wife and stepson.

That means he is eligible to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup and the 43-year-old is on the radar of Europe captain Padraig Harrington.

“I think I’ve just got to continue to try and do what I did today, which is keep the ball in play,” said Sabbatini, who has won six times on the PGA Tour.

Rose was level par after 10 holes at Olgiata Golf Club but birdied five of the next seven to move ominously into contention for his second win of the season.

Kurt Kitayama, Joost Luiten, Shubhankar Sharma and Bernd Wiesberger were alongside Rose on five under.

Home favourite Francesco Molinari is seven shots off the pace after struggling to a level-par 71, with his successor as Open champion, Ireland’s Shane Lowry, another stroke adrift.

Leading Scot is Robert MacIntyre on two-under – five off the lead – while Stephen Gallacher and Grant Forrest are one shot further back.

Aberdonian Richie Ramsay is level par, David Drysdale four over, Liam Johnston and Scott Jamieson five over and David Law six over.

Tapio Pulkkanen holds a slender lead at Italian Open.