The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Scots golfer on march:
Warren leads way with masterly show in Portugal.
Scotland’s Marc Warren birdied the first six holes in an eight-under-par 63 to top the leaderboard at the end of the opening day of the Portugal Masters at Vilamoura.
The 35-year-old began with six successive birdies at Victoria Clube de Golfe before adding a further three after blemishing his card slightly with a bogey on the seventh.
The Glaswegian’s score matched two previous scores of 63 in the Scot’s 11 years full time on the European Tour.
American David Lipsky, Finland’sMikko Korhonen and the English trio of Callum Shinkwin, Matthew Baldwin and Eddie Pepperell shared second place on 64. Chris Paisley is among a group of five players a shot further back on six under, along with Swede Jens Fahrbring, who also needs a top- two finish, and Spaniards Alejandro Canizares and Nacho Elvira.
The Open championship winningduoofPaulLawrie and Padraig Harrington are among 10 players on 66.
Warren said: “I think I’ve had six or seven in a row but never at the start of the round.
“It’s absolute perfect start. Everything was going right for me, just the right numbers and landing it close and a couple of tapins. It was a great start.”
Aberdonian Lawrie was six under after 10 holes that included holing his second shot for eagle at the par 4 fourth hole on the way to his 66.
Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher was five under par through 14 holes in scoring a four- under 67, while David Drysdale and Scott Jamieson signed for 69s. Richie Ramsay carded a 71.
Pepperell is attempting to secure his tour card for next season. The 25-yearold needs to retain his current ranking to make the cut.
Baldwin, 30, needs a toptwo finish this week to keep his card and he hit eight birdies in the opening round, although a bogey on the seventh blotted his copybook.
Three-time major winner Harrington, who chipped in for an eagle on the par-4 15th, will resume on five under today, with British players Ben Evans, Ryan Evans, Lawrie and Oliver Fisher also tied on the same score.
Defending champion Andy Sullivan, who last year secured victory by a tournament-record nine shots, is four strokes off the pace on four under.
He praised his supporters – dubbed “Sulli’s Army” – for helpinghimthrough a bogey-free opening round.
“Front nine, I felt a little bit down the way I was playing and not really converting and they (the supporters) keptmegoing for a long time there,” he said.
“Then the back nine I started to play better and give myself more chances. It’s down to ‘Sulli’s Army’ that I probably played that little bit better today.”