The Welsh dragon roared at Green Eagle Golf Club in Germany today with Kyron Sullivan and Stuart Manley filling two of the top three places early in the first round of the ECCO Tour Championship on the European Challenge Tour.
Sullivan fired a six under par 67 over the North Course measuring just under 7900 yards to lead by a stroke from Danish amateur Andreas Hartø on 68 with Manley sharing third place alongside Scotland’s Craig Lee on 69.
Currently 131st on the Challenge Tour Rankings, Sullivan chipped in at the first to set the ball rolling and picked up a further six shots – dropping only one at the 705 yard 16th – as he set the clubhouse target.
“At this stage of the season, I need to be looking at some high finishes to ensure I get into the Kazakhstan Open in a few weeks time and to make certain I climb into the top 100 in the Rankings so that I won’t have to go to Stage One of the Qualifying School” he said.
Hartø, a 22 year old student in America, opted to take the chance of a wild card to the ECCO Tour Championship rather than return to play in the United States. It was a sound decision, as the Danish amateur champion grabbed six birdies and spilled just one shot all morning.
He said: “It was a costly decision to cancel my flight back to Texas, where I attend university, but this round makes it worthwhile.”
