Lahiri, Chawrasia shoot three-under 68 each in Germany

Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia came up with identical cards of three-under 68 each to be tentatively placed at Tied-16th on the opening day of the Porsche European Open here.

With play having been delayed by three hours and 25 minutes, only a few had finished their opening round as play continued and the first round is likely to finish on Friday.

The clubhouse leader was Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, whose home is close by across the border from Germany. Wiesberger was sevenunder through 17 holes, while Lucas Bjerregaard, after turning in 30, was six-under through 17 holes as was Graeme Storm.

Among the best to complete was Steve Webster, who carded five-under 66, the same as Im Daniel and Michael Jonzon.

Looking for his first career win outside India, despite three European Tour wins at home, Chawrasia was cruising at five-under through 15 holes and was Tied-second at that time.

Starting on tenth, he was five-under and then came the stutter at the finish, when he bogeyed the seventh and ninth and ended at 68.

Returning to action after a gap of more than a month, Lahiri, whose last competitive round was at the Rio Olympic Games, also started from the tenth.

After a par start on 10th, he had a hat-trick of birdies from 11th to 13th. Then he suffered a mid-round lapse, as he bogeyed the 15th and 18th to turn in one-under.

A birdie on second was followed by a bogey on fourth. Birdies on sixth and eighth saw him finish at 68, making it a satisfying round for someone coming after a long lay-off.

The start at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach was delayed by three hours and 25 minutes in Germany due to fog but once the mist cleared, blue skies and bright sunshine provided excellent scoring conditions.

Bjerregaard was one of those to take advantage, posting five birdies on the front nine to sit alongside Gary Stal and Steve Webster at the summit early on day one.