The Swiss player shot a course record 64 in the opening round to hold the lead by one shot from a trio of players.

“It’s amazing, I’m really pleased with that round and great to have a start like that,” the 2017 Swiss Challenge winner said. “It was a fantastic morning out there, beautiful weather, great conditions, and my game was brilliant this morning.”

Among the three are Ireland’s Conor Purcell who shot a 65 on Thursday. He is joined on -7 by Frenchman Gary Stal and Stefano Mazzoli.

John Murphy is next best of the home players after shooting a 66. He is one of five players on six-under-par. Scotland’s Craig Ross, Todd Clements of England, Deon Germishuys and Jeon weon Ko of France are all on that score.

Tom McKibbin is next best of the Irish players on five-under-par. Paul McBride, Robert Moran (AM) and Gary Hurley shot 68s today and are currently inside the top-25.

South Africa’s Tristen Strydom recorded his third hole-in-one, and first in Europe, when he aced the par three 17th hole on his way to a three under par round 69.

Select Round one scores (Irish players highlighted)

64 J GIRRBACH (SUI),
65 C PURCELL, S MAZZOLI (ITA), G STAL (FRA),
66 D GERMISHUYS (RSA), J MURPHY, J KO (FRA), C ROSS (SCO), T CLEMENTS (ENG),
67 N KIMSEY (ENG), M ORRIN (ENG), A SADDIER (FRA), T MCKIBBIN, H ELLIS (ENG),
68 P MCBRIDE, R MORAN (AM) (IRL), L VAN MEIJEL (NED), P MEJOW (GER), V GARCIA BROTO (ESP), S DEL VAL (ESP), G HURLEY (IRL), R KAMINSKI (RSA), O FARRELL (ENG), J LONG (ENG),
69 J DE BRUYN (GER), T STRYDOM (RSA), J RUTHERFORD (ENG), R EVANS (ENG), J SAINZ (ESP), D RAVETTO (FRA), M MORUGAN (ESP), R PETERSSON (SWE), C MIVIS (BEL), M MANASSERO (ITA), M ITEN (SUI), J GUMBERG (USA).

Other Irish scores

72 J SUGRUE, R MCGEE, G MOYNIHAN,
73 R MULLARNEY, D MCELROY,
74 R CLARKE, M MCCLEAN,
75 M POWER (AM), C O’ROURKE,
76 M YOUNG, L GREHAN,
77 R DAWSON, C WILLIAMS,
78 L DONNELLY,
82 H FOLEY (AM).

The post Joel Girrbach breaks course record to lead at the Irish Challenge appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The twenty-nine-year-old is six under after 10 holes. He had birdies on the second, fifth, sixth, eight and tenth, with an eagle on the third hole. He gave a shot back with a bogey on the ninth.

Gary Hurley is the leading Irishman on five under par. He is joined on that score by Samuel Del Val of Spain, England’s Harry Ellis and Gary Stal of France.

Hurley birdied the tenth, eleventh,  thirteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth.

More to follow

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