Oliver Lindell earned a share of the first round lead at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge after posting a five under par 67 at Golf & Spa Resort Kunětická Hora.
The Finn is joined by countryman Illari Saulo, South African Oliver Bekker and Spain’s Santiago Tarrio at the top of the leaderboard, with nine players a shot further back in a share of fifth place, including Irish Challenge runner-up Eduard Rousaud.
Lindell posted four birdies and a hole-out eagle on the par four third hole on his way to earning a share of top spot in the Czech Republic, a start which he hopes can turn his season around after a disappointing opening to the 2021 Road to Mallorca.
“I played really well on the front nine, but on the back nine I couldn’t really make any of my putts, but I am really happy with this start; I haven’t been playing too well this season,” he said. “This gives me a lot of hope.
“I didn’t hit it that well with the driver, the errors were much bigger on the front nine for me, so I couldn’t even try to reach those par fives and seemed to always be in the bunkers. I usually had to lay-up, but hopefully tomorrow I drive it better than I did today.”
The 22-year-old, who won the Finnish Championship in Hämeenlinna in 2016, believes he could have gone lower on the opening day in Dříteč, but knows where he needs to improve in order to build on his solid start.
“I really thought that I was going to go lower but I am happy with this after the first round,” he said.
“I want to keep my game the same tomorrow, try to make my driving better and playing the par fives better.”
Joining Rousaud in a tie for fifth place on four under par after round one are countrymen Jordi Garcia Del Moral and Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, French duo Jérôme Lando Casanova and Romain Wattel, German pair Jonas Kölbing and Yannik Paul, American Dodge Kemmer and Norway’s Kristian Krogh Johannessen.
The second round of the Czech Challenge will begin at 7:40am local time on Friday June 4, with Lindell teeing it up at 2:00pm alongside Frenchman Julien Brun and German Thomas Rosenmüller.
