Mike Lorenzo-Vera lit up the back nine at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club to share the lead with Matthias Schwab after day one of the Omega European Masters.
A host of Major Championship and multiple European Tour winners have made the trip to stunning Crans Montana this week – including World Number Two Rory McIlroy – but it was two men seeking a first victory who set the pace with opening rounds of 63.
Austrian Schwab had set the target in the morning with a bogey free effort before Frenchman Lorenzo-Vera came home in 29 to join him at seven under.
Italian Lorenzo Gagli, Finn Mikko Korhonen and Swede Sebastian Soderberg were the closest challengers a shot back, one clear of a group of six players including 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood.
Last week’s winner Erik van Rooyen, Welshman Jamie Donaldson, Scot David Drysdale, Malaysia’s Gavin Green and Italian Guido Migliozzi were alongside Fleetwood at five under.
Major champion and winner here in 2005 Sergio Garcia was in the group three shots off the lead, one clear of four-time Major winner McIlroy.
