Everything you need to know from day one at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.
Matt Fitzpatrick sat in a leading sextuplet, Yannik Paul was laser-focused, Benjamin Purshouse went from virtual to reality and we could have had plenty of aces on Thursday at the Omega European Masters.
Here is everything you need to know from day one in Switzerland.
Fitz in six-way tie at the top
Two-time champion Fitzpatrick was part of a six-way tie for the lead after a low-scoring opening day. The Englishman put on a brilliant display as he carded a bogey-free 63 that left him at seven under alongside countryman Eddie Pepperell, Dane John Axelsen, Spaniard Nacho Elvira, Malaysia's Gavin Green and Japanese Masahiro Kawamura. Fitzpatrick missed the cut on his debut at this event in 2014 but then finished second and seventh in the next two editions before claiming the title back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. He tied for 69th on his next trip up the mountains but was very much back to his brilliant best as he returned for the first time in four years and first time since he became a Major Champion at the 2022 U.S. Open. "I played brilliant," he said. "Only hit two bad shots, one I got away with and one I got up and down, so that’s as good as I’ve played for a while."
Paul focusing on himself
Paul insisted he was not thinking about his Ryder Cup rivals as he made an excellent start in the final event before Luke Donald finalises his 12-man team. The German entered the week sitting fourth on the European Points List, knowing a win would see him make the team and that he needed a tie for third with two others or better to have any chance of qualifying automatically. He was grouped with the two men either side of his him in the standings - Robert MacIntyre currently occupies the final spot and Adrian Meronk sits behind Paul - and outscored them both with a 64 that handed him an excellent platform on which to build in the mountains. "Obviously there's a lot of talk going on but for me it didn't really matter who I was playing with," said Paul after seeing Meronk sign for a 67 and MacIntyre card a 68. "I didn't really compare myself to anyone, just try to stay in my zone and today it worked really well."
eSport qualifier Purshouse denied maiden ace
Purshouse may have taken an unconventional route to his first DP World Tour start but he was almost rewarded with a hole-in-one. The Swiss made it into the field via the OEM 2023 eSport Tournament, which involved players taking part in four rounds at this week's venue on a simulator, with the top three playing the real course on Tuesday for a place in the field. Purshouse carded a 70 earlier in the week to get through and the highlight of his first round proper was undoubtedly his tee-shot on the 13th, which lipped out when it looked destined for an ace. "I saw it disappear, I thought I holed it and it just jumped out so unfortunately I didn't get my first hole-in-one," he said. "To do it on the DP World Tour would have been amazing - memories for a lifetime."
Clements is also denied
You think Purshouse was unlucky - take a look at this from last week's winner Todd Clements.
Romain Langasque wasn't far away either.
Eagle for a par
What do you do when you stick your tee-shot OB on a driveable par four? Victor Perez puts his second to three feet and walks off with a par.
