Paul Dunne channels Irish Euro 2016 spirit to start well

After tweeting last night of his delight at seeing Ireland beat Italy – just hours before teeing off alongside Italian Francesco Laporta at the BMW International Open – Paul Dunne ensured that Ireland again came out on top as he opened up with a three under par 69 to sit just four shots behind the lead.

In the sweltering heat of Pulheim, Germany, the Greystones golfer fired five birdies and two bogeys to lie four behind leader Raphael Jacquelin.

The front nine was a mixed bag for Dunne in which a birdie at the third was offset by a bogey at the sixth before picking up one shot and dropping one shot in the next two holes.

However the back nine was a lot more consistent as the 23-year-old took advantage of the par five 13th and 15th with birdies before capping it off with a three on the final hole.

At the top of the leaderboard is Jacquelin who carded an opening round 65 to take the first round lead.

A bogey-free round gave the 42-year-old a one-stroke advantage over England’s Oliver Fisher, who had set the clubhouse lead as one of the morning starters.

With temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius scoring conditions were good, although the long, lush rough around Golf Club Gut Larchenhof meant anything off line was usually punished.

That was not a problem for Jacquelin, starting at the 10th, who carded six birdies in nine holes from the 13th around the turn — covering the back nine in 32 — to draw level with long-time leader Fisher.

He got up and down from the back of the green for birdie at the 577-yard seventh to move clear of the field.

“I am very pleased, I played solidly all round,” he said in his post-round interview.

“The wind was picking up so it as not easy at all so I tried to stay focused on how I was hitting the ball.

“The rough is brutal so you definitely have to keep the ball in play, that is key this week.”

Jacquelin has been working with swing coach David Leadbetter since May in order to iron out a few things and he believes it is working.

“My ball striking was not very good but I’ve been working on it every day since then and it is definitely a bit more solid so I am very happy with that too,” he added.

Fisher’s six-under 66 included a trio of birdies in both halves of his round and he stands alone in second place, ahead of Chilean Felipe Aguilar and South African Zander Lombard.

Finland’s Roope Kakko, also starting on the back nine, threatened to make a challenge for the top with a run of five successive birdies to the turn, but having got to six under by picking up another shot at the second, a couple of bogeys dropped him back into the pack.

Fisher’s success was based on his accuracy as he found 17 of 18 greens in regulation.

“The course is pretty wet so you have to hit fairways and greens and any time you go bogey-free for 18 holes is a great round,” said the 27-year-old, whose best finish this season is joint 22nd at the Trophee Hassan II and is 151st in the Race to Dubai, after his round.

“History has proved around here the guys who hit fairways and are good tee to green generally do pretty well.”

Among the large group on four under are defending champion Pablo Larrazabal and Ryder Cup star Henrik Stenson.

However, Masters champion Danny Willett struggled off the tee and a back nine of 40 dropped him to two over.

Scot Richie Ramsay’s hole in one at the 183-yard 16th won him a car from the tournament sponsors as he finished one under.