Oct 30: Shubhankar Sharma got off to his best start since the re-start of golf on the European Tour, as he brought home a bogey-free 67 and was placed T-18 at the end of the first round of the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open in Paphos, Cyprus.
Sharma birdied the fifth and ninth on the first half of the course and then closed with birdies on 17th and 18th for a solid 4-under 67.
Meanwhile, SSP Chawrasia carded even par 71 and was placed T-83rd, needing a solid second round to play the weekend.
Sharma’s bogey free 67 equalled the best he has shot since he resumed his European Tour campaign with the Hero Open in August. He has now shot 67 on four occasions. Sharma has been following a busy schedule with the Cyprus Open being his 12th start in 14 weeks, but his best result has been T-26 at the ASI Scottish Open.
American Johannes Veerman and Mitch Waite of England share the lead after carding seven under par rounds of 64 in the first European Tour event to be held on the Mediterranean island.
Cyprus became the 50th nation to host the European Tour in its 48-year history as the first round began today.
Waite carded an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys to sign for a 64 on a low-scoring day, while Veerman joined him on that number after his fifth birdie of the day on the 18th hole, adding to an eagle he carded on the tenth hole.
In a share of third place on six under par are former Ryder Cup players Jamie Donaldson and Andy Sullivan, Joël Stalter of France and Finland’s Sami Välimäki – both winners on the European Tour this season – and David Drysdale of Scotland.
Veerman said, “I hit it really well today. Well actually, I missed one green but I holed out; so I missed one green but I made it. I hit it really well today off the tee. I think I hit almost every single fairway out there. The course is in such an amazing shape, it’s pristine. If you’re hitting your lines and you’re playing from the fairway, you can go low around here.”
