The opening day of the MCB Tour Championship hosted by Constance Belle Mare Plage was a birdie-fest.
The cool, benign conditions, and not the normal Mauritius sweltering heat and wind, are no doubt a big reason for the star-studded field capitalising on the opportunity.
Early starters Thomas Bjorn signed for a four-under-par 68 while Spain’s Miguel Angel Martin was the early clubhouse leader with a five-under-par 67.
England’s Simon Brown shot a bogey-free 65 on the Legend course which included five birdies and an eagle, while last week’s winner Joakim Haeggman also signed for a seven under par round of 65 leaving them one shot away from the leader.
Defending champion Jarmo Sandelin was hot out the blocks, birdieing the first two holes which set the tone for the day with another four birdies to follow on the front nine and no bogeys.
Even with a lost ball on the par four 15th, the bogey-free round continued for the rest of the day with another two birdies on the back nine to give him an eight-under-par 64 – just two shots shy of the course record 62 held by the man himself.
The Order of Merit also hangs in the balance with current leader James Kingston shooting two over par, while his pursuers Adilson da Silva and Phillip Price shot three under and two under respectively.
By Mark Sampson
