Thriston Lawrence seemed slightly off his game on Thursday but he still produced an opening three-under-par 68 in the first round of the DP World Tour’s Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down Golf Club in Northern Ireland.
That gave him a share of fourth place, two shots off the lead which was held by England’s Todd Clements. Clements had an eagle-three on the 18th after starting his round on the 10th, and he was one stroke clear of Sami Valimaki of Finland and Alejandro de Rey of Spain.
After an early bogey on the third, Lawrence, who seemed to be less accurate than usual off the tee as well as his approach play, made three birdies on the fifth, seventh and eighth. He picked up two more shots on the 12th and 13th, and then made his double-bogey on the 14th when a wayward tee shot to the par-three left him too much to do to get up and down. He picked up another birdie on the par-five 18th.
In a share of fourth with him was., amongst others, Rory McIlroy, who is the only man in front of the South African on the Race to Dubai rankings.
Erik van Rooyen and Brandon Stone were on two-under-par 69 in a share of ninth, and Casey Jarvis was on one-under in a share of 20th with Jaco Prinsloo. Veterans Darren Fichardt and Thomas Aiken were on level-par in a share of 33rd.
Ockie Strydom was on two-over-par, while Justin Harding was on three-over. Louis de Jager was on four-over and Dylan Frittelli opened with a five-over-par. Jacques Kruyswijk was on six-over and Jayden Schper on eight-over.
