Gordon Manson admitted that he is playing through the pain barrier after taking a share of the first round lead at the 2016 WINSTONgolf Senior Open.
The Austrian already has a win to his name this season after securing the Acorn Jersey Open last month, and is on the hunt for his third European Senior Tour title on the WINSTONlinks course at WINSTONgolf in Vorbeck, Germany.
Although tied at the top of the leaderboard with Englishmen Philip Golding, Gary Marks and Paul Wesselingh and Peter Fowler of Australia, Manson said he was playing with an injury sustained at last week’s Swiss Seniors Open.
“In Switzerland I jarred my back coming out of the rough and I’ve been fighting it since,” said Manson. “I’m having physio on it before and after and a little bit of medication, which is something I don’t like to do, but I do need to look after it.
“I am playing through the pain barrier a little bit. Thankfully we’ve got a great physio out with us.”
Manson carded four birdies on the front nine as he went out in 33, and believes he left some shots out on the unique inland links course as he carded just one further birdie on the way home for a four under par 68.
“There was a lot of good work on the front nine,” he said. “I was four under after seven holes, hitting nice shots and making some ten-footers.
“I had a three putt on the eighth for a bogey, but I had a lot of chances on the back nine. I was hitting nicely to the green and giving myself a lot of chances for birdie. But I didn’t strike my putts too well and left a few short after the rain we had.
“When you get to four under so early, and then finish four under, it’s a little frustrating.”
After recording three top 20 finishes in the first three European events this season, Wesselingh was overjoyed to have carded his best round of the year so far as he also carded a four under par 68.
“I’m delighted with the score and the start to the year I’ve had,” said Wesselingh. “I love the course. You have to be focused and make sure your clubs are right, and make sure you don’t do anything stupid if you do go out of position.
“I played the course on Wednesday when it was blowing a gale, and I think that helped me today. I came out today and the course played better than it did then.
“It’s my lowest score of the year and I’m really happy with that.”
Home favourite Bernhard Langer birdied four of the last seven holes to finish on one under par, tied 12th, and fellow Masters Tournament champion and Ryder Cup star Ian Woosnam finished level par.
Magnus P Atlevi of Sweden, who graduated from European Senior Tour Qualifying School with Marks, is sixth after carding a three under par 69.
