European Masters: Matt Wallace two back as Alejandro Canizares, Thriston Lawrence share early lead | Golf News

Rasmus Hojgaard opened his title defence with a five-under 65 to stay within three of the lead, while Canada’s Aaron Cockerill made a hole-in-one at the par-three third; Watch the second round live on Friday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf

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Highlights from day one of the Omega European Masters where Thriston Lawrence and Alejandro Canizares lead.

Alejandro Canizares and Thriston Lawrence hold a share of the lead after the opening round of the Omega European Masters, where Matt Wallace also started strongly.

Canizares mixed nine birdies and one bogey on his way to an eight-under 62 at Crans-sur-Sierre, a score matched by Lawrence after a blemish-free start, with the pair holding a two-shot cushion over the chasing pack.

The Spaniard cancelled out a birdie at the third by bogeying the par-four next, only to make his charge up the leaderboard with five birdies in a six-hole stretch from the fifth.

Alejandro Canizares holds a share of the lead in Switzerland

Canizares added three consecutive birdies from the 12th to briefly threaten a possible ’59 round’ on the par-70 layout, only to finish with four pars and set the clubhouse target at eight under.

“It was a great round,” Canizares said. “My goal today was to focus only on the targets, not to focus on my swing since it hasn’t worked lately! It felt almost like unconscious, which is the goal for a golfer to hit unconscious good shots and that’s what I’m working on, trying to forget a little bit about technique and let it go.”

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Canadian golfer Aaron Cockerill hit an amazing hole in one in day one of the Omega European Masters.

Lawrence had started on the back nine and picked up six birdies before holing out from 30 yards for an eagle on his closing hole, the par-five ninth.

“Bogey free, so that’s always a tick in the box,” Lawrence said. “Started off nicely, a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, gave myself a lot of 15 footers and managed to make a few. A nice little pitch in on the ninth to finish off, so very pleased about that.”

Wallace and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson were part of a four-strong group two shots off the lead on six under, with defending champion Rasmus Hojgaard another stroke back.

Beginning on the back nine, Wallace responded to a bogey at the 12th by holing a 30-footer from the fringe at the 14th and rolling in a 20-foot birdie at the next despite having to lay up on the par-five.

Wallace failed to get up and down from the sand to save par at the 16th but followed a six-foot birdie at the 18th with three more in a four-hole stretch from the second, before ending a run of pars by making a 15-foot birdie on his final hole of the day.

Hojgaard is bidding to join major champions Seve Ballesteros and Matt Fitzpatrick in claiming back-to-back titles in the Swiss Alps, while the 21-year-old would also love to emulate fellow Dane Thomas Bjorn in lifting the trophy for a second time.

Watch the Omega European Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf.