Shinkwin flying high at KLM Open

Callum Shinkwin shot a superb 66 to fly highest after the first round of the KLM Open.

Shinkwin currently sits 126th in the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex and 446th in the Official World Golf Rankings but he belied his status to card six under par and lead a large chasing pack by one shot at The International.

The 26-year-old was forced to withdraw at the Omega European Masters last month due to food poisoning before retiring during the second round of last week's Porsche European Open with a back injury and needs some good results to ensure another season on the European Tour.

However, Shinkwin eased his pain when he reached the turn in 32, courtesy of an eagle, three birdies and one dropped shot, before a bogey-free back nine - which included two more gains - helped him to the top of the leaderboard.

"My golf as of late has not been great as has my health as well," Shinkwin told europeantour.com. "But the golf is still not there, still very uncomfortable, but I managed to turn it round today and shoot a good round of 66.

"I'm just working hard and if I'm feeling uncomfortable then that means I'm doing the right things.”

The Amsterdam golf course has proved to be a stern test on its event debut in a tournament which is celebrating its 100th edition.

It coincides with event sponsor KLM which is in its century year of business for a special week in the Netherlands, with hundreds of the Dutch airline’s planes flying over the course from the nearby Schipol Airport.

And it looked as though local favourite Rowin Caron would continue the feel good factor when he made a brilliant start to his home tournament and led playing partners Shinkwin and Per Langfors in a terrific three ball at five under after the 12th hole.

The young Dutchman was blemish-free through 15 holes but when Langfors recorded a birdie at the same hole, the Swede became joint leader.

Shinkwin waited just one more hole to move to five under thanks to a calm five foot putt and join his two playing partners at the top of the leaderboard, but a par at the 17th was enough to sit one ahead when Caron and Langfors registered bogeys.

Green birdied the ninth - his last - to make it a three way tie for the lead with the Englishman and 18-year-old Dane Nicolai Højgaard, who carded his sixth gain at the 13th, at five under par.

Langfors increased the group to four with a bounce back birdie at the last but Shinkwin jumped ahead on his own with a three foot gain at the 18th.

Porteous made his move to the summit with four birdies in five holes on the back nine to sit alongside Shinkwin but back to back bogeys from the 16th saw the South African drop back to four under par.

Winds picked up during the course of the first round, with the afternoon starters struggling to make an impact at the higher echelons of the scoreboard apart from Englishman James Morrison.

The 34-year-old bogeyed his second hole but responded with three birdies at the next four holes to reach the turn at two under.

And four straight birdies from the 11th helped the two time European Tour winner become joint leader, only card bogeys at the 15th and 16th to drop back to four under.

English trio Chris Paisley, Matthew Southgate and Sam Horsfield, Scotland's Marc Warren, Malaysian Gavin Green, Langfors and Højgaard all remained one adrift at five under from the morning.

Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters Tournament champion and 15 time European Tour winner, led an eight strong group at four under, alongside Amsterdam native Caron, Porteous, Morrison, in-form Frenchman Romain Langasque, England’s Max Orrin and Scott Jamieson of Scotland.

Defending champion Wu Ashun was one of nine players at three under par, including two time KLM Open winner and playing partner Joost Luiten who came home in a remarkable 30 after carding his opening front nine in three over.