Twice European PGA champion Anders Hansen came up on the rails with a late eagle to take the lead with a seven-under-par 65 in the European Open first round on Thursday.
The 38-year-old Dane, who started at the 10th hole, picked up five birdies in a faultless effort before vaulting to the top of the leaderboard by chipping in for a three at the par-five eighth in warm, still conditions at the London Club in Kent.
Sweden’s Peter Hanson, brimming with confidence after a hole-in-one in U.S. Open qualifying this week, was in joint second place on 66 alongside South African Thomas Aiken, Jyoti Randhawa of India and Briton Sam Little.
World number four Sergio Garcia fought back from a first-hole double bogey to post a 69 but fifth-ranked Henrik Stenson slid to a four-over 76.
Hansen, teeing off late in the day, made the perfect start when he holed out from 25 feet for a birdie at the 10th.
The 2007 and 2002 PGA champion also rolled in a 40-footer at the 17th but the highlight was his eagle.
“I hit a pretty good drive down the right, then hit it just short of the green,” Hansen told reporters.
“It was quite a tricky chip because we were on the left side and the pin was short left so we were unsure if we could get enough check on the ball to stop it. But I hit it beautifully from about 15 yards.”
Swede Hanson said he was high on self-belief after claiming the 11th and final international qualifying spot at Walton Heath when his six-iron went straight into the cup from 202 yards to book his ticket for next month’s U.S. Open.
“That ace on Monday was an enormous boost,” he said. “You get a confidence boost, not only from that but because everybody is congratulating you and saying well done.
“It was one of those surreal moments … like knocking in that last penalty in a World Cup match.”
Aiken, like fellow early starter Hanson, began his round at the 10th and made rapid progress when he crammed six birdies in an inward half of 30.
The South African only has a conditional tour card this season and did not know he was competing here until Monday.
Unusually for a top golfer, Aiken was sponsor-less on his cap and sweater. “I am, and have been for a while, logo-free. Economic crisis,” he joked.
Britain’s John Bickerton produced the shot of the day, using a five-iron for a hole-in-one at the 194-yard, par-three third as he registered a 72.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry and former world amateur number one Scott Arnold of Australia, making their professional debuts, started with rounds of 78 and 79 respectively.
