Liam Johnston 始める，決めるs pace at Portugal Masters with brilliant 61
Scotland’s Liam Johnston 明らかにする／漏らすd he was blissfully unaware of his 適切な時期 to card only the second 59 in European 小旅行する history after setting a blistering pace at the Portugal Masters.
At the same 発生地 where Oliver Fisher made history in 2018, Johnston went to the turn in 31 before 解雇する／砲火／射撃ing five birdies in his next seven 穴を開けるs to leave him needing an eagle-birdie finish to break the magical 60 障壁.
The 27-year-old from Dumfries 設立する the green in two on the par-five 17th, but left his eagle 試みる／企てる short of the 穴を開ける and was unable to find an ありそうもない two on the difficult par-four 18th.
A 10-under-par 61 （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 his previous lowest 得点する／非難する／２０ on the European 小旅行する by six 発射s and gave Johnston a one-発射 lead over フラン’s Julien Guerrier on a day of typically low 得点する／非難する／２０ing at Dom Pedro Victoria ゴルフ Course in Vilamoura.
“I had no idea,” Johnston said when asked if a 59 had been in his sights. “I thought it was a par 72, but I was 明白に trying to 穴を開ける the putt on 17 for eagle but left it a little bit short before making a nice par on the last.
“I told my coach that I was swinging it as good as I have. My game feels as it is really 傾向ing in the 権利 direction and, more importantly, I have really 改善するd mentally . I wouldn’t say I felt a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する like this has been coming, but I have been playing 井戸／弁護士席.
“With the rough out there it was nice to keep the bogeys off the card. I saved 井戸／弁護士席 when I needed to, 穴を開けるing a lot of good putts out there, and I am delighted with the 10 birdies.”
Guerrier carded nine birdies in his bogey-解放する／自由な 62, with England’s Laurie Canter two 発射s その上の 支援する に引き続いて a 64.
“I think this is my fifth time playing here and the biggest shame is there is usually やめる a big cohort from Bath who come and watch,” Canter said.
“I’ve got a couple of really good mates that come along, they come along every year and they love it so they’ll be gutted, 特に as I’ve started playing alright.”
Pre-tournament favourite Tommy Fleetwood carded a three-under-par 68 含む／封じ込めるing five birdies and two bogeys, the last of which （機の）カム に引き続いて an uncharacteristic 麻薬中毒の 運動 into the water on the 18th.
“The 支援する nine was probably the best I’ve 攻撃する，衝突する my アイロンをかけるs for a long time,” Fleetwood said.
“I practised putting late last night and the green was burnt to a crisp and I think that put me off a little bit. I thought they were going to be 早い and at times I was a little bit weak with my pace.
“全体にわたる I was happy. I had a dodgy （一定の）期間 and then started hitting it 井戸／弁護士席 and had chances. The course is a different 実験（する） to what it’s always been. I drove it 広大な／多数の／重要な, ignoring the one on the last, and gave myself a lot of chances.”
Defending 支持する／優勝者 Steven Brown matched Fleetwood’s 68.
