Rupert Kaminski and John Parry shared a one-stroke lead after posting six-under-par rounds of 64 on the opening day on Thursday of the Challenge Tour’s Blot Open de Bretagne at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André.
South African Kaminski carded six birdies in his bogey-free round to take the clubhouse lead, before Englishman Parry made seven birdies and one bogey to join him at the top of the leaderboard.
Kaminski was pleased with how he was able to navigate the tough coastal layout in Pléneuf having travelled from South Africa for the first of back-to-back Challenge Tour events in France.
“It was a really solid day and I’m very pleased with how I played,” he said. “I wasn’t too sure where my game would be at with all of the travel I have had to do recently but I showed up today with no expectations and played really nicely.
“You have to manage yourself around this course and you can’t just hit driver off every tee. I plotted my way around the course today with a lot of irons off the tee and gave myself as many birdie chances as I could.
“I think this course suits my game because I enjoy layouts where you have options off the tee, and I enjoy hitting those low shots and using the ground for some run into the positions you want to be.”
Parry, who currently sits in second position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, was pleased to continue his impressive recent form and is hoping to regain his DP World Tour playing privileges having lost his card last season.
Sweden’s Björn Åkesson sits in third position on five-under-par, while his countryman Per Längfors and Dane Jeppe Kristian Andersen are a shot further back in fourth. Seven players share sixth place on three under, including Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith.
Deon Germishuys was in a share of 13th on two-under-par, while Dylan Naidoo and Wilco Nienaber were on one-under in a share of 30th.
Louis Albertse was on one-over, with Bryce Easton on three-over. Luke Jerling and Albert Venter were on four-over, while JJ Senekal and Tristen Strydom struggled to six-over and seven-over respectively.
