Pierre Relecom says he is taking inspiration from his friend and fellow Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts after storming to the top of the leaderboard alongside Alessandro Tadini on a lightning-delayed first day of the ECCO Tour Championship presented by Thomas Björn and Mercedes Benz.
Play was suspended for three hours and 20 minutes at Lübker Golf Resort but that did not disrupt Relecom’s concentration, as he shot a superb six under par round of 66 that included seven birdies and an eagle, to join Tadini as joint clubhouse leader.
Italian Tadini produced a flawless 66, firing six birdies and not a single bogey to set the early target, which was matched by 26 year old Relecom, who plays from Royal Waterloo in Belgium, the same course as Volvo China Open winner Colsaerts.
Relecom, who has only made two cuts so far in 2011, said he played his best round of the year.
“In Belgium (at the Telenet Trophy last May, when he finished tied for 25th) I putted very well,” he said. “That’s my home course and I played really well but I scrambled around a little in 66 shots on that occasion while here it was it was a 66 with three different three-putts so it was really solid.
“Overall this year isn’t a bad year for me because I missed five cuts by just one shot, so my game appears to be ready to get to the next level.”
Speaking about emulating his friend Colsaerts, who is currently 12th on The Race to Dubai, Relecom said: “He has played very well this year and is also a graduate of the Challenge Tour and I think we are very similar players so it’s a motivating factor to try and get on The European Tour with him.”
One of the more special moments of his round came at the par five 10th hole, where he hit a rescue wood from 230 metres that pitched on the green but rolled to an awkward lie on the fringe.
Relecom opted to putt with the same rescue club that got him in to that position, before sinking an unlikely putt for eagle.
“When it went in I thought, ‘every putt seems to be going in’ and then on the next hole I just went for it even though I could have played conservative and I got a nice birdie,” he enthused.
Tadini, meanwhile, was delighted with his form on the greens during the first round and is hoping he can get a fourth Challenge Tour title, and first this year, after a consistent season that has produced only two missed cuts and five top-20 finishes in 13 appearances.
“My putting was the big difference today,” said the 37 year old. “Normally when I play like that I might hit about three or four under but I only took about 26 or 27 putts out there today and that’s what made the difference.
“I think I am close (to a victory), but many times I had three good rounds and that other round has let me down so I need to make sure I play consistently this week.”
Dane Lasse Sonne Nielsen is three shots off the pace in third place after a three under par 69, while a trio of Frenchmen, Charles-Edouard Russo, François Delamontagne and Christophe Brazillier are a shot further back on two under par.
Nielsen, was the best of the home players and the 21 year old said he felt comfortable in familiar company at the Lübker Golf Resort.
“My coach was playing a few groups behind me so that’s pretty nice, one of the referees is from my club and another person from my clubs is caddying for my coach so it’s a bit like being at home even though it’s three and a half hours away,” he said.
“It’s nice to be around people you know and I know a lot of the players this week, I’ve played with a lot of them since I was a junior so it’s nice.”
Play was suspended at 20.20hrs local time due to bad light and the first round will resume at 08.00hrs on Thursday. Out on the course, Dane Daniel Løkke and Englishman Chris Gane are three under par through 13 holes.
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