Sweden’s Carl Pettersson opened up a four shot lead in the early stages of the €1,000,000 Algarve Portuguese Open with a fine six-under par 66 today before play was suspended due to strong winds and heavy rain.
The Swede notched up seven birdies in all, two of which came on the final two holes, and just the one dropped shot at the third. He leads a chasing pack of six players, which includes Ireland’s Philip Walton, on two-under.
England’s David Gilford and Gary Evans are joined by Bradley Dredge from Wales and Finland’s Mikko Ilonen after rounds of 70. Walton, birdied the third and fourth and was joined by England’s James Johnson after five holes.
The defending Champion Phillip Price was a shot further back on one-under by the time he reached the turn. He would have been one better had he not dropped his first shot at the ninth.
Pettersson’s compatriot Marten Olander really had a game of two halves, to use the age-old football cliche. A run of three birdies from the second followed by an eagle three at the fifth got him to the turn in five-under 32. However, he took 10 shots more on the back nine, dropping seven shots in the last seven holes for a 74.
David Higgins was next of the Irish challengers on one-over par. The Challenge Tour player opened with a birdie at the 10th, his first, then dropped two shots at 12th and 13th.
Des Smyth, 49, left himself with much to do after a a poor front nine in three-over 40. Ronan Rafferty continues to struggle with his game and could only manage an opening six-over 78.
It’s worth sparing a thought for Italy’s Constantino Rocca who rallied well for a round of 75 despite running-up a 10 at the par four 12th. Rocca, a member of two winning European Ryder Cup teams, drove into the rough then knocked three balls out of bounds in his attempts to recover.
It is unlikely all of the 156-strong field will complete their opening rounds today.
