Liam Nolan and Max Kennedy both have work to do over the weekend if they are going to make the most of the extra points on offer at the Hainan Open.
The first of the two Chinese events got underway and they are the final two events before next month’s Grand Final in Mallorca with big points on the line to boost their promotion hopes but also avoid losing ground on those above.
Nolan carded a one-under 71 to share 39th place, seven shots off the lead while Kennedy is two shots further back.
Nolan found himself one-over through eleven holes after he followed an opening nine of 35 with back to back bogeys.
The Galway man who was in the top-3 on the Road to Mallorca Rankings earlier this season, birdied 12 and 14 to finish the day in red figures.
Nolan finds himself 32nd in the season long standings with the top-20 earning DP World Tour cards after next month’s finale. He is projected to fall to 35th so needs a strong final three rounds.
Kennedy meanwhile was going along nicely at four-under through sixteen holes of his opening round.
However, a disastrous finish has left him with a mountain to climb after he triple bogeyed the par-3 8th and double bogeyed the ninth to card a gutwrenching 73.
Kennedy began the week ranked 40th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and is projected to fall to 44th with the top-45 progressing to the Grand Final after next week’s event.
Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo and Germany’s Jan Schneider lead the way on seven-under at Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club.
Portuguese Figueiredo, starting on the tenth, was three under through his first five holes, before firing four birdies in a five-hole stretch from the 17th. Another birdie came on the seventh and despite dropping his only shot of the day on the eighth, he was delighted with how he’s started the first of back-to-back weeks in the Middle Kingdom.
“It’s a really good round,” he said. “Seven under out here is always good. The day wasn’t easy with the wind, but I like those conditions. It suits my game playing in the wind so I was happy overall.
“I was consistent. I hit most of the greens and fairways which meant bogeys weren’t in play today, which was great.”
The 34-year-old currently sits 44th on the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings and with the top 45 players currently projected to reach the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A following next week’s Hangzhou Open, Figueiredo is looking to cement his current position.
“I’ve been in this situation a few times, so I am feeling more comfortable with it,” he added. “I’ve just got to stick to the process.
“I haven’t thought too much about the Rankings but I am just doing everything I can to shoot a good score each day and if that puts me in the top 45, great, and the top 20, even better.”
