Jonathan Thomson head and shoulders above the rest
Jonathan Thomson carded a career-best round to take a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Made in Denmark on Thursday.
The Englishman signed for an eight under 64 around Silkeborg Ry Golf Course in Aarhus, enough for two stroke lead over a host of chasers, including local hopeful Lucas Bjerregaard and Christian Bezuidenhout of South Africa.
The round would have been a course record for if preferred lies had not been in place, but Thomson has already set a unique record of his own. When the six foot nine inch golfer earned his European Tour card last year, he became the tallest player in Tour history.
Additionally, Thomson’s backstory in inspiring, as he suffered from leukemia as a child and suffered through five years of treatment while still continuing his golfing dream.
On Friday around a benign course, Thomson enjoyed a hot putter as he rolled in five birdies on the front nine and another four and a bogey coming home. He has missed seven cuts in 16 starts in 2018 and is still hunting down his first top ten finish of the season.
New course record.
New career-best.
Leader by two.Good day for @Jigger_Thomson ✍🏼#MiD18 pic.twitter.com/nJU3FTLK0N
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 30, 2018
“It’s fantastic to get off to a great start for a change,” Thomson told europeantour.com.
“I have been playing some great golf recently but not scoring, so to get off to a low scoring start today was great.
“I had a good lesson on iron play in Prague last week and it has really tightened up my iron play and given me more opportunities to give myself more birdie chances. Last week I played fantastic and didn’t hole anything, whereas today I played to a similar level and holed some putts.
“It would be great for me to have a positive result this week. I had a terrible start to the season and a really positive result would give me a huge confidence boost going into the rest of the season.”
Further down the leaderboard, Hunter Stewart and Brett Rumford are part of chasing pack on six under, while Jamie Donaldson and Thai star Jazz Janewattananond are in T8 on five under.
Latest
-
NewsPadraig Harrington: Bryson DeChambeau has stolen the glory and the thunder
Padraig Harrington says Bryson DeChambeau’s successful power game is going to shape the future of golf.
-
Ryder CupBernard Gallacher and Sam Torrance relive 1995 Ryder Cup moments
This Thursday marks 25 years since Europe won the Ryder Cup on American soil in sensational fashion.
-
NewsUS Open winner Bryson DeChambeau ‘changing the way people think about the game’
The 27-year-old was the only player to break par on a demanding final day.
-
News5 things you might not know about US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau can sign his autograph backwards with his left hand.
-
NewsBryson DeChambeau savours ‘blood, sweat and tears’ US Open triumph
The American won by six shots from compatriot Matthew Wolff.
-
NewsGeorgia Hall takes first US win in Portland
The English golfer recovered from a late stumble to win on the second play-off hole.
-
NewsBryson DeChambeau powers to victory in US Open
The American’s work in the gym during golf’s coronavirus shutdown appears to have paid off.
-
NewsBryson DeChambeau wins US Open with Winged Foot masterclass
The American finished six shots clear of compatriot Matthew Wolff,
-
NewsRory McIlroy unravels within minutes as Winged Foot bears its teeth
The four-time major winner found the fairway and green in regulation on the opening hole, but then four-putted from 90 feet.
-
NewsDistance debate set to roll on as errant drives fail to derail US Open hopefuls
Only two players had finished under par in five previous US Opens at Winged Foot.