The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Lorenzo-Vera delighted after strong return at Euro Masters
Mike Lorenzo-Vera reflected on a satisfying return to action after making an impressive start to the Omega European Masters yesterday.
The 34-year-old Frenchman took a five-week break to get married and move house and put some of his success down to the mental side of his game after taking a share of the lead after the first round.
The event has attracted some of the sport’s big names, yet it is Lorenzo-Vera and Matthias Schwab, both of who are targeting a first European Tour victory, who set the pace with opening rounds of 63 at Crans Montana.
Schwab had set the target in the morning with a bogey-free effort before Lorenzo-Vera came home in 29 to join him at seven under par.
Lorenzo-Vera has already had two second-place finishes this season and has spoken of how his work with a psychologist has helped him get closer to that elusive first victory.
The 34-year-old birdied the second but double bogeyed the fourth before hitting back with birdies on the seventh, ninth and 10th.
A gain on the 13th was then followed by a long putt for eagle on the par 14th, a birdie on the second of the back-to-back par fives and another gain after a slippery putt on the 16th.
Earlier, Austria’s Schwab birdied the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth, and a chip helped set up a birdie on the par-five ninth as he turned in 30. Another gain on the 13th put him two clear and a two-putt birdie on the 15th moved him to seven under.
Lorenzo Gagli, Mikko Korhonen and Sebastian Soderberg were the closest challengers a shot back, one clear of a group including Tommy Fleetwood, Jamie Donaldson and Scot David Drysdale.
Sergio Garcia was in a group of 11 three shots off the lead on four under par, one clear of world No 2 Rory McIlroy, who had 15 for company.
Grant Forrest and Liam Johnston are one under par – one ahead of Scott Jamieson and Richie Ramsay, with Stephen Gallacher and David Law one shot further back. Robert Macintyre is two over.