Golf

Alejandro Canizares and Thriston Lawrence share lead at Omega European Masters

Jonathan Caldwell best of the Irish six shots off the lead

Alejandro Canizares leads at the European Masters. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Alejandro Canizares leads at the European Masters. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Thu Aug 25 2022 - 20:52

Spain’s Alejandro Canizares achieved his goal of playing “unconscious” golf as he claimed a share of the lead in the Omega European Masters.

Canizares carded nine birdies and one bogey in the space of 12 holes on his way to an opening eight-under-par 62 at Crans-sur-Sierre, matching the score posted by South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence a few minutes earlier.

Lawrence had started on the back nine and picked up six birdies before holing out from 30 yards for an eagle on his closing hole, the par-five ninth.

“it was a great round. I started out really comfortable, ” Canizares told Sky Sports.

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“My goal today was to focus only on the targets, not to focus on my swing since it hasn’t worked lately!

“I did that well even though I had a three-putt early on, I was really happy how I bounced back from that one. I knew I was hitting the shots that I wanted and I kept going.

“It felt almost like unconscious, which is the goal for a golfer to hit unconscious good shots and that’s what I’m working on, trying to forget a little bit about technique and let it go.

“It’s difficult if you don’t practice it enough but I did that today, putted great, made two great up and downs on the last two (holes) so I’m over the moon.”

England’s Matt Wallace and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson were part of a four-strong group two shots off the lead on six under, with defending champion Rasmus Hojgaard another stroke back.

Hojgaard is bidding to join major champions Seve Ballesteros and Matt Fitzpatrick in claiming back-to-back titles in the Swiss Alps, while the 21-year-old would also love to emulate fellow Dane Thomas Bjorn in lifting the trophy for a second time.

Out of six Irish involved, Jonathan Caldwell fired the best round with an opening 68 as he sits six shots off the lead. David Carey and James Sugrue find themselves one stroke further back.

Niall Kearney and Cormac Sharvin struggled to rounds of six-over and nine-over respectively while Paul Dunne grafted his way to level par at the end of his first day.