A blistering birdie-birdie-eagle close to his opening nine fired South Africa’s Dylan Fritteli joint-top of the early leaderboard as the D+D Real Czech Challenge Open began at Golf & Spa Kuneticka Hora.
The Johannesburg native, who turned 23 the day before the tournament started, started on the back nine and made five pars and dropped just the one shot over his opening six holes – a bogey coming at the par four 14th – before his flying finish took him into an early tie for the lead alongside England’s James Heath and Swede Jens Dantorp at three under par.
Former Eisenhower Trophy player Frittelli birdied both the signature par five 16th, which runs around the enormous lake centrepiece at Kuneticka Hora, and the short 17th, before spectacularly holing his second at the par four 18th for eagle to turn in 33 blows.
Dantorp was also going well in the embryonic stages in the Czech Republic, continuing his consistent 2013 form by finding three birdies over his opening six holes, while Heath, playing alongside co-leader Frittelli, carded an unblemished 33 after starting on the back nine.
The leading trio were one clear of a stacked chasing pack that included 2011 Apulia San Domenico Grand Final winner Andrea Pavan and former Ryder Cup star Oliver Wilson.
Following weeks of torrential rain in Pardubice – just shy of 100 kilometres east of Czech capital Prague – there was welcome sunshine, blue skies and warm temperatures on the opening morning as the second Czech Challenge got underway and the early starters were busy taking advantage of the more hospitable conditions as the morning progressed.
