Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tyrrell Hatton and Scott Hend will take a share of the lead into the second round of the Omega European Masters after an enthralling first day at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club.
Spaniard Jiménez, who already has a win at this event, is looking to extend his record as the European Tour’s oldest winner, while Australia’s Hend is seeking redemption after losing in a play-off to Alex Noren last term.
For Englishman Hatton, a victory this week would represent a stunning return to form for a player who has made only two of his last nine cuts.
They all fired rounds of 64 in the Swiss mountains to get to six-under, a shot clear of Scottish duo David Drysdale and Duncan Stewart, South African Darren Fichardt, Kiwi Ryan Fox, Thai Thongchai Jaidee and Australian Todd Sinnott.
Fichardt went three shots better than countrymen Dylan Frittelli and Richard Sterne, with last week’s winner in Prague, Haydn Porteous, one further back.
A quartet of South Africans – Dean Burmester, Jbe Kruger, Justin Walter and George Coetzee – were level after 18, with Brandon Stone five over for his opening round.
