Espen Kofstad stunningly completed his final four holes in five-under, as he completed an opening round of 64 to lead the ISPS Handa Wales Open by two shots from Chris Wood and Richard Green at Celtic Manor.
There has been a sombre feeling coming into this event, after the passing of Welsh great Dave Thomas. The 79-year-old, who was twice runner-up in the Open Championship, died at his home in Spain on Monday. He was a stalwart of Welsh golf from the 1950s to the 70s, while also playing a prominent role in Great Britain and Ireland’s battles with the United States in the Ryder Cup. A warm and popular man, this gentle giant would later become an influential course designer, with over 100 of his layouts all over the world, including The Belfry, the legendary Ryder Cup venue that he co-designed with Peter Alliss.
Playing alongside European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley in the first group on Thursday morning, Kofstad would finish with aplomb with birdies at the 15th, 16th, 17th, before closing holing out from the greenside bunker for eagle on the site of the 2010 Ryder Cup.
The 26-year-old Norwegian led the Challenge Tour money list last year, but has endured a disappointing rookie season on the European Tour, and he came into this week ranked 149th on the Race to Dubai. However, he came off a solid T-23rd finish at Gleneagles last week, and he has continued that form which certainly made an impression on Captain McGinley.
“What a finish,” said McGinley. “To finish birdie, birdie, birdie, eagle is fantastic. He hit it a million miles, hit a lot of fairways, played very well and he deserved that score.”
The European qualification process for the Ryder Cup begins this week, with players’ earnings in Wales being translated into valuable points. While most of the players in the field at Celtic Manor won’t be considered as likely candidates to make the European side for Gleneagles next September, there is no real reason why an outside name cannot rise through the pack and claim a spot.
For the likes of Kofstad, that potential journey begins now.
“It would be great to play in the Ryder Cup,” said the Norwegian. “Although I can't really expect a spot. But I put in a decent application today.”
More pressing matters, for a player who claimed two wins last year on the Challenge Tour, is to retain his status on the main tour for next year. A good finish will put him well on the path to do doing so, while a victory will guarantee his status for two further years.
With three days remaining, that’s a long way ahead. However, it’s still a positive step for a player who missed eight consecutive cuts in the summer while battling with a recurring neck injury.
That has now cleared up, and after spending time with a spots psychologist; Kofstad believes that he is now more mentally prepared to deal with the rigors of competing on the Tour.
”I have been very, very calm the last two weeks,” Kofstad said. “I started to settle down a bit. I was a bit stressed and tentative and wasn't able to practice as much as I wanted to with my neck injury.
”Today I wasn't nervous and it felt really easy. I kept hitting the shots and they came off in the end. I got a little lucky I suppose holing a long putt on the 17th and the bunker shot on the last. I was only trying to get it ten-15 feet past the hole because it was a tough shot.”
Chris Wood looked like joining Kofstad at 7-under, before a three-putt on his closing hole, the ninth, saw him settle for an opening round of 66 to leave him at 5-under.
The Englishman, who is ranked 20th on the Race to Dubai, is enjoying an excellent season, with his long awaited maiden victory coming in the sunshine of Qatar back in January. Coming from Bristol, which is just on the other side of the border in England, the Welsh Open feels like a home event for Wood, who was able to treat his caddie to another sporting occasion earlier in the week.
“Even though I'm English I do think of this as a home event and it's one I'd love to win,” said Wood.
”It's nice to be able to stay at home this week, dinner is on the table when you walk in the door, and I treated my caddie to a Bristol City game on Tuesday.
“We beat Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup so I think he got lucky. It's probably the best I have seen them play for a couple of years so I think Brendan is now a bit of a closet fan.”
Late in the day, it was Richard Green who joined Wood at 5-under, after producing a bogey-free round. The 42-year-old Australian has finished inside the top 100 on the money list every year since 1999, but finds himself ranked 112th, with some work required to ensure of his card for next season.
“The signs are good. I've been suffering a bit of tennis elbow and a bit of a dodgy right wrist and a bad shoulder, as you do when you get older.
”I'm managing them pretty well. The guys in the physio truck are looking after me pretty well and getting me fit to play. As long as I keep up that sort of work and keep fit, I'll be all right.
”I've gone 20 years in my golf career injury-free and all of a sudden in one year, I've got three different things bothering me.”
Just 26 players would finish the day under the par of 71, which is an illustration of the difficulty of this well-conditioned layout. With a number of risk and reward holes, which we saw three years ago in the Ryder Cup, birdies and eagles are possible, but there is enough danger lurking to punish even the slightest misplayed effort.
That shall ensure the next three days remain intriguing, as the race to make the European Ryder Cup team begins in earnest.