Dechambeau leads in Hamburg with Syme, Drysdale and Jamieson well placed

Bryson Dechambeau comfortably outscored tournament favourites Paul Casey and Patrick Reed to take the first-round lead at the Porsche European Open.

The American shot a sixunder-par 66, which was three better than his English rival, while compatriot and Masters champion Reed was four strokes back courtesy of a birdie-birdie finish at the Green Eagle Golf Courses in Hamburg.

Three Frenchmen, Joel Stalter, Romain Wattel and Mike Lorenzo-vera, and Germany’s Benedict Staben, led the immediate challenge a shot further back, while Connor Syme, lying joint sixth after carding a four-under 68, leads the Scottish challenge.

“It’s great to start out with six under par. I think it’s one of my lowest rounds on the European Tour so I’m very pleased,” said world No 23 Dechambeau, playing in only his sixth regular tournament on the European Tour outside of the majors and WGC events.

“I haven’t been hitting it my best so I’m still working on my game and it’s starting to turn into some form. I’m missing in the right places and making some putts which is great. If you do that out here you’re going to be up there.”

Starting at the 10th he carded four birdies in his opening nine holes and, although he dropped a shot at the par4 third, he produced three further birdies in his last six holes, including a brilliant approach to the 517-yard last from behind a tree.

World No 15 Casey briefly had a share of the lead at four under through nine holes, including an eagle on the par-5 18th, and he bounced back from a double bogey at the short eighth with a birdie at the last.

Reed, who appeared to be hampered by a knee injury, began with a birdie but strug- gled to find the fairway all afternoon.

He had a stroke of luck at the 17th when his birdie putt hit the back of the cup and dropped otherwise it would have raced several feet past. He then picked up another shot at the last to close on two under.

Scotland’s David Drysdale posted a 69, with Stephen Gallacher and Scott Jamieson a shot further back.