Maximilian Kieffer produced front-nine fireworks in front of his home crowd as he began the Porsche European Open with a 69 to share the first-round lead with Simon Forsström.
The 32-year-old German star went birdie-eagle from the 3rd hole at Green Eagle Golf Courses after draining successive monster putts from around 50 feet.
And after dropping a shot at the short 5th, he chipped in for a bounce-back birdie on the 6th before making three more birdies and two bogeys over the remaining 12 holes to reach four under par.
The only other player to break 70 in Thursday’s first round was Swede Forsström, who made five birdies and a single bogey to join Kieffer at the summit.
Dutchman Joost Luiten was among the group another shot back after finishing his round with a hat-trick of birdies at the 7th, 8th and 9th.
Norway’s Kristian Krogh Johannessen later closed his first-round 70 with four successive birdies on the other side of the course to join Luiten, Dane Marcus Helligkilde and Englishman Jordan Smith in a tie for third.
Germany’s Freddy Schott briefly took over at the top following a run of five birdies in six holes on his back nine but had to settle for a 71 after carding a late triple-bogey, leaving him alongside countryman Jannik de Bruyn on two under after his hole-in-one at the short second.
? HOLE IN ONE ?
Jannik de Bruyn holes out from 190 yards at the second ?#PEO23 pic.twitter.com/ybSO2599lF
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 1, 2023
Deon Germishuys, Wilco Nienaber and Justin Walters all carded two-over 75, with the other South Africans in the field also struggling.
– Edited report from DP World Tour website
