Four way tie at the top in Czech Republic

8/21/2008

Three Englishmen and a Swiss sit on top of a packed leaderboard after the opening round of the Ypsilon Golf Challenge by Alex Cejka on the European Challenge Tour.

Late in the day at a sunkissed Ypsilon Golf Resort in Liberec, Czech Republic, England’s Matthew King showed signs of a welcome return to form with a round of 65, to go level on six under par with his compatriots Marcus Higley and Matthew Cort, and Switzerland’s Julien Clément.     

By his own admission King has struggled with his game in a transitional season, but some technical changes he has been working on have given the football-mad 32 year old reasons to be cheerful.

Of the morning starters, Higley had set the early pace after posting six birdies in a flawless round of 65. He has slipped five places to eighth in the Rankings over the past fortnight, but the man from Yeovil has every chance of regaining the initiative after firing his lowest opening round of the season.

Clemént was feeling even better after closing with a birdie three and an albatross two – the first of his career – to come home in 32. The Swiss, who has been a model of consistency with just two missed cuts so far this season, is confident of further improvement on day two after recruiting a caddy.

Cort’s flawless round of 65 featured three consecutive birdies on the back nine, but he was quick to sound a note of caution after leading on the first day of the SWALEC Wales Challenge, only to fall away subsequently.  

Leaderboard – Round 1:

1. Julien Clément                    SUI  65 - 6
    Matthew Cort                       ENG  65 - 6
    Marcus Higley                      ENG  65 - 6
    Matthew King                       ENG  65 - 6
5. Thomas Feyrsinger               AUT  66 - 5
    Lorenzo Gagli                       ITA  66 - 5
    Mikko Korhonen                    FIN  66 - 5
    Gareth Maybin                      NIR  66 - 5
    Paul Dwyer                           ENG  66 - 5
    Alexandre Rocha                  BRA  66 - 5
    Liam Bond                          WAL  66 - 5

Source: European Tour, foto Antonín Krčmář