Justin Walters opened the Challenge Tour’s Italian Challenge Open at Argentario Golf Club in Monte Argentario with a superb six-under-par 65 on Thursday which turned out to be enough for only a share of third.
A birdie on the first was followed by a bogey on the third, but that was the sum of his dropped shots for the round, as he made two more birdies on the front nine and four on the back as he ended up just two strokes off the lead.
Wil Besseling of the Netherlands produced a sensational eight-under-par round of 63 to take a one-stroke lead from Englishman Sam Hutsby, with a delay for thunder and lightning during play ensuring several players would have to return on Friday to conclude their first round.
Walters shared third with three other players, and there were five players on five-under in a share of seventh.
JC Ritchie opened with a two-under-par 69, and he was in a share of 33rd. Louis Albertse was in a share of 46th with his one-under-par 70, with Bryce Easton and Wilco Nienaber on level-par in a share of 71st.
Rupert Kaminski fought back from three consecutive bogeys from the second hole with two birdies on the back nine to reach one-over and a share of 90th. That at least gives him a chance of making the cut with a good second round.
