The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Bayern great is in no rush
Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger says he is in no rush to sign a new contract with the Bundesliga champions amid reported interest from English Premier League clubs.
The Germany captain still has a year left to run on his deal in Munich Frenchman Gregory Bourdy’s precise iron play saw him take a two-shot lead in the firstroundof the Lyoness Open in Austria but he was still not satisfied.
The 33-year-old missed just one green in regulation in a seven-under-par 65 as he became the first player of the day tocomein bogeyfree at theDiamondClub in Atzenbrugg – despite being one of the later finishers having teed off at 1pm local time.
Breezy conditions and a course playing hard and fast caused otherssomedifficulties but not Bourdy, who made three birdies in his first four holes and had caught the clubhouse leadersbythetimehepickedup his fifth stroke at the 370yd 13th.
“I am pleased with seven under but it could have been even more,” said Bourdy, who has had three top-10 finishes this year but all between January and mid-March.
He led by two from the English duo of Robert Dinwiddie and Chris Wood, Spain’s Carlos del Moral and German Max Kieffer. Dinwiddie, who missed the second half of last season with a ruptured disc in his back, carded his best round in almost two years.
“I am pleased with seven under but it could have been even more”
He had missed nine successive cuts on his return until last week’s Nordea Masters but finally found his form with an eagle at the opening par-5 setting him on his way. “It’s the longest I’ve had away from golf,” the 32-year-old Dumfries-born player said in relation to his injury.
“I didn’t realise how long it might take me to get my game back but I feel I am getting closer and this round showed that a bit.”
Wood raced to three under with successive birdies in the middle of the back nine, having started at the 10th, but a bogey at the 591yd 16th halted his momentum, although he recovered with three further birdies. Kieffer’s only dropped shot came at the 479yd ninth as he joined the trio in second at five under, oneaheadofagroup which included Frenchman Gary Stal, whose mixed bag of a round saw him hole his second for eagle at the par-four third and add seven birdies and five bogeys.
Home favourite Bernd Wiesberger, runner-up last year, struggled to a sevenover 79, while Aberdeen challenger Richie Ramsay shot a 74. David Drysdale was leading Scot on 68.