David Law thrived on home soil as he carded a bogey-free round of 66 to lead by one after the first day of the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts.
The 27 year old, whose best finish in six appearances at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club is a share of 29thplace in 2014, bagged five birdies for a blemish-free score to sit one ahead of Wales’s Stuart Manley and Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo after 18 holes.
After making the perfect start by holing a six-foot birdie putt at the first, the Scot continued to excel on the greens by draining a 20-foot putt for birdie at the eighth to reach the turn in 33.
Following a near miss for eagle at the par-five 13ththe man from Aberdeen carded further gains at the 14thand 17thbefore shaving the hole with another birdie chance at the last.
Law, who held the halfway lead at the KPMG Trophy in Belgium two weeks ago, believes he is starting to find his best form after a difficult 2017.
“I think my game has been going the right way for quite a while to be honest,” he said. “Last year I didn’t play well at all, but I played decent in Spain, I finished 20ththere, and then I was 27thin Switzerland.
“I finished 13thin Belgium and then I missed the cut last week in France. It’s obviously disappointing any time you miss a cut, but I was saying to Paul Lawrie on Tuesday, I’ve never been in an airport on a Friday night and not been disappointed I’ve missed the cut.
“I felt like I was still playing well, but it was one of those courses that either can go your way or can’t go your way.
“I just thought ‘I’m not worried here’ because I am playing decent.
“In Belgium I played really good in the first two days, I played okay on Saturday but putted pretty poor, and on Sunday I played well and putted pretty poorly.
“I hadn’t been leading a golf tournament out here for over two years, I think it was, so it was unfamiliar in that respect. But it was good to be up there again. I can hopefully draw on that this week.
“I had a couple of things last year. We lost our little boy in the summer last year, so off the course it was quite a tough year.
“Golfing-wise, when that sort of thing happens I really wasn’t interested that much. Without using that as an excuse at all, but the whole year was tough.
“It’s just been good to get going again, and really give it a go this year.”
Continuing his recent excellent form is Manley. The 39 year old, who triumphed in France last week and finished as a runner-up a fortnight ago, signed for a four under par 67 as he goes in search of back-to-back titles.
Figueiredo, also a winner on the European Challenge Tour this season, did not drop any shots as he picked up four birdies to join Manley in second place.
