Rhys roars ahead in Rome

Rhys Enoch made the perfect start to the Terre dei Consoli Open, firing a seven under par opening round of 65 to take a two-shot lead of the second Italian European Challenge Tour event of the year.

The Welshman knows he needs a high finish in Italy to extend his season, with limited fields contesting the final four events, and found Terre dei Consoli Golf Club very much to his liking, making seven birdies in a bogey-free round.

The 28 year old’s best result this year is a tie for 13^that the Fred Olsen Challenge de España and, after injury struggles that have left him 133^rdin the Road to Oman Rankings, he acknowledged he was under pressure to succeed this week.

“It was perfect out there,” he said. “I started on the tenth, which is quite a tough par four, and I hit a six iron to a foot, and after that I just thought it might be a good day.

“It started to rain but I kept plodding along, picking up the odd birdie, and before I knew it I got to four under par, and was giving myself loads of chances, so it was quite an easy 65 – I missed three or four putts from inside 12 feet.

“I was really happy to hit it well and get a good score in, and I think the course suits me. I hit the ball quite far, so there’s a few holes where I can take bunkers out of play, so there were some holes I took really aggressive lines off the tee and only had 80 yards left to the flag.

“I capitalised on that – other guys having to play further away, leaving 140 in – and I drove it well and wedged it well, so I’m really pleased with the round.

“My game’s feeling really good. I know I need a big week this week to keep playing this season, and I’ve had a good few weeks to practise so now we’ve got to go and do it.

“I’m putting that pressure on myself, but I have to – I know if I don’t finish in the top five then I won’t be playing any more this year, so I’ve got to go out and see what I can do.

“The year’s been very rough. I started out playing nicely but got an injury after the first three events and I missed a month, and I rushed back to play too soon, missed a couple of cuts by one, so now I’ve had a proper chance to rest I’m playing some better golf.

“Three more days like today would be perfect – I know there’s some weather coming but I’m more than happy with my game and the course and hopefully I can keep it going.”

Enoch’s closest challengers are all former winners on the Challenge Tour – Robert Coles, José-Filipe Lima and Victor Riu shooting 67 to share second place on five under par.

Lima won this season’s Najeti Open but despite that win, the Portuguese finds himself outside the top 15 on the Road to Oman, and therefore not set for European Tour graduation.

However, the 34 year old is hopeful that he has planned his year – which included a trip to the Olympic Games to represent his country – to perfection and that he is ready to peak when it matters the most.

“I’ve not been playing much this year because I’ve always been thinking of the end of the year,” he said. “I know how tough it is with the final five or six weeks when you are tired, but I’ve been playing well.

“I’m at the stage I was expecting to be right now, I just need to keep making birdies and hopefully I can do something good, but this was my plan from the beginning and at the moment it’s going ok.

“I’m feeling really well, and I’m not saying that just because I shot five under today. I was really solid, no mistakes, and it was a good day.”