John Hahn made true the old adage about the early bird catching the worm as he claimed a share of the first round clubhouse lead at the 71° OPEN D'ITALIA Presented by DAMIANI.
Hahn, one of a record four Americans to come through last November’s Qualifying School, had missed six cuts in his last nine events.
The 25 year old, out in the second group out at 7:40am and began the day bemoaning another early start, but ended it delighted with a 67 featuring six birdies and one bogey to join Northern Ireland’s Gareth Maybin on five under par.
"I've just had so many early starts recently," Hahn said. "I was up before 5am today but the one advantage is that you're always going to have smooth greens and it was nice to take advantage.
“I had a good game plan today that I executed well.
“It was pretty good all day - you have to stay out of the rough because it was so penal and I managed to do that pretty well today. It was a case of making aggressive swings at conservative targets and I always think that if you can execute that then you will usually benefit from it.”
Maybin, three times a runner-up on The European Tour but without a victory in more than 150 events, also had six birdies with his only blemish of the day coming at the seventh.
“You really have to be straight off the tee here and I managed to do that today – hopefully I can keep doing for three days and keep climbing the leaderboard,” said Maybin, who posted a top-ten finish in Denmark two weeks ago.
“This kind of course is more suited to me than last week – it is not too long and you have to hit some low shots off the tee and there aren’t many holes where you have to hit driver.”
Stephen Gallacher headed straight for the practice range after beginning his bid to secure a Ryder Cup debut with a 72.
Gallacher is the only man capable of moving into the automatic qualifying places in the final counting event, a top-two finish in Turin enough to dislodge former US Open Champion Graeme McDowell from the team.
But despite carding two birdies in his first three holes, the 39 year old eventually had to settle for a level par round which left him five shots off the clubhouse lead.
"I'm a bit disappointed because I threw away a couple of shots midway through my round but I'll hit a few balls this afternoon and iron a few things out," Gallacher said.
"It's okay for the first day and I am only one good score away from the top of the leaderboard.
"I didn't drive it too well and the rough is very penal. The greens are also getting firmer so if you get out of position it makes it very difficult.
"I know I have to finish first or second, that's not going to change, so I'm not putting any pressure on myself. Once you get out on the course you just try to birdie every hole. That's the easy part. It's when you finish you think about The Ryder Cup."
Starting from the tenth, Gallacher pulled his opening drive into the rough but produced a superb recovery shot to the back edge of the green and safely two-putted for par.
The Scot was then involved in a lengthy search for playing partner Edoardo Molinari's ball on the 11th, but maintained his concentration and after the ball was found with seconds of the five-minute time limit to spare, eventually fired in a superb approach which was an inch away from dropping into the hole for an eagle.
"It was hanging over the edge," added Gallacher, who also got up and down from left of the green on the par five 12th, but dropped his first shot of the day on the 220 yard par three 16th, missing from ten feet for par after a poor chip from the back of the green.
A better chip ensured he avoided the same fate on the 17th and the Dubai Desert Classic champion then saw his recovery from a greenside bunker catch the edge of the hole and spin out.
Gallacher did not have to wait long to get back to two under with a birdie on the par five first, but bogeyed three of the next four holes and was pleased to birdie the seventh and finish the day level par.
France’s Gary Stal and Chile’s Felipe Aguilar were tied for third after both posted four under par rounds of 68.
Of the afternoon starters, in-form Austian Bernd Wiesberger made the biggest move.
Having finished runner-up on home soil two months ago and played in the final Sunday pairing alongside Rory McIlroy at the US PGA Championship, the two-time European Tour winner went to the turn in 33 and added further birdies at the 11th and 12th to join Hahn and Maybin on five under.
Home favourite Francesco Molinari was a shot further back through 14 holes, as was his fellow Ryder Cup hopeful Marc Warren, Scotland’s Richie Ramsay and Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters.
