Rafa Cabrera-Bello’s fine form showed no sign of abating as the Spaniard grabbed a share of the first round lead at the BMW International Open.
Fourth in Ireland, 13th in Sweden and a runner-up in Austria last time out, the 31 year old carded a seven under par 65 to join England’s Daniel Gaunt and Denmark’s Lasse Jensen at the top of the leaderboard.
After mixing four birdies with two bogeys in an outward 34, the two-time European Tour added five further gains, including getting up and down from the back bunker at the last.
“I've been playing good the last couple weeks and I'm feeling good with my game,” said Cabrera-Bello, who a runner-up in this event last year, when it was held in Cologne.
“Today the difference maybe was I think I putted very good, especially on the back nine. Rafa Cabrera-Bello
“I've also played good on this course before. I think 2011 or 2012 [it was 2010], I finished third. I've had other decent performances here, as well.
“The setup and the atmosphere in this tournament is very, very special and it's only Thursday, and it felt like a weekend almost with really big crowds out there. It's nice, and it helps you get in the zone and it worked for me today.”
Gaunt, a two-time winner on the Challenge Tour, also birdied his final hole – in his case the ninth – as he holed a 20 foot putt to complete a round containing eight birdies against a single bogey.
“When you get off to a good start like that, it kick starts your day,” said Gaunt, who set off with a hat-trick of birdies. “All I wanted to do was just keep progressing from there and chase down the leaders, really.
“To hole that putt on the last, and a great shot in to finish with a really good putt again was the icing on the cake today.”
The 30 year old Dane Jensen has only had one top-ten finish to date on The European Tour, but the Qualifying School graduate produced a flawless display that included four successive gains around the turn.
“I’m very happy and pleased,” he said. “I think it's a great start for this event.
“You're always a bit excited when you come into this part of the season. There's a few big events coming up, so hopefully my game is getting in shape and I can build on from this round.”
Earlier in the day England’s Andrew Johnston birdied the last three holes of his opening round to record a six under par 66 that left him fourth.
Last year’s Challenge Tour Rankings winner bogeyed his first hole of the day, but then took advantage of perfect scoring conditions to register seven birdies, including almost holing from the bunker at the ninth – his last.
Johnston, who memorably celebrated winning a car for a hole-in-one during the BMW PGA Championship with an exuberant chest-bump with a friend in the gallery, was delighted with his start having missed the cut in his last four appearances.
“It was a good finish,” he said. “You've got to hit the fairways. The greens are amazing, so if you get on there and you're rolling it, you can hole some putts.”
World Number Seven Henrik Stenson was among those to relish a return to more normal playing conditions after last week’s gruelling US Open Championship, carding an eventful opening 67.
Stenson, who shared the lead after the first round at Chambers Bay, carded eight birdies and a triple bogey to finish five under par.
Starting on the back nine in the marquee group containing home favourite Martin Kaymer and Ireland's Shane Lowry, Stenson made an ideal start with birdies on the 11th and 12th, but then contrived to take seven on the 319 yard 16th after his approach rolled back into the water.
The 39 year old bounced back with a birdie on the 18th and picked up another shot on the first before surging through the field with four birdies in succession from the fifth.
Another birdie looked on the cards following a perfect drive on the par five ninth, but Stenson pulled his approach left of the green and saw it bounce off a cart path into a hospitality tent.
After receiving a free drop, Stenson pitched to eight feet but was unable to convert the birdie chance.
“I was in a good position to finish with five in a row, but I think the wind switched a little bit and I was in between clubs and went with the longer club and ended up way in the grandstand,” said Stenson.
“It would have felt really nice to finish with a birdie on nine to make nine birdies and a triple to shoot six under, but eight birdies and a triple isn't too bad, either.”
Kaymer also enjoyed a stroke of luck on the ninth after his approach clattered into the trees and bounced out to the edge of a water hazard, from where the two-time Major winner pitched to five feet for an unlikely birdie and a round of 72.
Lowry, who finished ninth at Chambers Bay after starting the final round just three off the lead, found the same hazard with his second shot but got up and down for par to also shoot 72.
