Deon Germishuys was one of three South Africans in a share of 11th after the first round on Thursday of the DP World Tour’s FedEx Open de France at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche in Paris.
Germishuys made four birdies and a bogey in his three-under-par 68, and, together with Darren Fichardt and Casey Jarvis, was in a 17-way share of 11th. They were four strokes behind the leader, Marcus Armitage, who had a run of six successive birdies around the turn on his way to a seven-under-par 64.
England’s Armitage was two clear of Australia’s Min Woo Lee and local player Julien Guerrier. There were seven players in a share of fourth on four-under-par.
On a really bunched up leaderboard, Jayden Schaper was in a share of 51st on one-under-par, together with, amongst others, Richard Sterne and Justin Harding. Robin Williams and Dylan Naidoo were amongst 28 players who were in a share of 71st on level-par.
Armitage was level par until he birdied the eighth and ninth for a front nine of 33, but he then extended that run to six birdies in a row, with pinpoint approaches to the 10th and 13th and putts from 18 and 13 feet at the 11th and 12th. “I was hitting it pretty close and just the putts started to drop,” he said after finishing the day with a seven-under-par 64 and a two-shot lead. “I think I one-putted every green for that space of holes. Yes, that will work.”
Guerrier lived up to his name as two remarkable escapes put him firmly in contention. The home favourite’s surname translates into English as ‘warrior’ and he showed the fighting spirit necessary after finding sand by both the ninth and the 18th greens. The 40-year-old holed both shots, for a birdie on the ninth and a closing par having mishit his first attempt from the rough.
Japan’s Keita Nakajima was firmly in the chasing pack at four under but the Japanese provided an unusual moment at the 15th, when he pulled out of a swing late and did not make contact with the ball after seemingly being distracted by a cough nearby. After much discussion, no penalty was applied.
