Scot David Law shot a fine 64 to lead the Betfred British Masters after the first round of the European Tour’s UK Swing at Close House. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

DAVID Law fired a flawless seven-under opening round 64 at the Betfred British Masters to take a one-stroke lead at the first tournament of the European Tour’s UK Swing.

The 29-year-old Scot, who has one European Tour title to his name, hit a red hot streak with seven birdies in eight holes from the sixth.

The only par during that run came courtesy of a wondrous save from the heavy gorse at the 11th.

Law said: “I was playing steady. You might not be sure what to expect coming into today after the long break. I was delighted with that.

“It’s still a little strange, but the Tour have done a fantastic job. So far I think it’s gone really well.

“The club has hosted us really well. It’s a new time for us, we’re all learning and we’ll all have to get used to it.

“The whole week so far has been very positive,” added the two-time Scottish Amateur champion.

“We’ve been lucky at home and not had anyone affected by the illness, thankfully.

“My daughter is 19 months old, so to have that extended time at home, I’ll never get that again. We had a great time.

“It was a nice time for me because I wasn’t playing the best going into that break. It was a good time to recharge and regroup.”

Fisher so happy be back playing golf

DAVID LAW, who won last year’s ISPS Handa Vic Open, finished the day one shot clear of Essx’s Oliver Fisher and Northumberland’s Garrick Porteous.

The English pair matched Italy’s Renato Paratore, who carded a round of 65 at Close House Golf Club, on the outskirts of Newcastle.

Fisher, who famously became the first player to shoot a 59 on the European Tour in Portugal two years ago, said: “I added my score up at the end and it’s weird to think I’ve shot 65 today.

“Obviously I’m chuffed about it. It’s weird to be back and playing professional golf, and I’m delighted with my score.

“I started off okay, the pins here and the greens are quite tricky in places. They tuck them and there are ridges on the edges of the greens where it can fall off and they can catch you out.

“There was a little bit of rain and it was quite fiery. There was a bit of a skid going, so with wedges early on it was hard to get close.

“I travelled up a couple of days ago, we’ve got a nice run in the UK. A lot of things to enjoy and hopefully we can all continue with social distancing and sticking to the routine of doing everything as properly as we can.

“The Tour have been great at stressing that to us. I’m delighted to be back and delighted with my score.”

Local knowledge helps Garrick Porteous

Garrick Porteous who won The Amateur Championship in 2013.
Picture by DAVID CANNON

GARRICK Porteous, who won The Amateur Championship at Royal Cinque Ports in 2013, revealed a lot of local knowledge had contributed to his good start.

The 30-year-old, who played in the 2013 Open and made his Masters debut in 2014, has been confined to the Challenge Tour for most of his six years as a professional.

Porteous, who earned his European Tour card at last year’s Qualifying School, said: “I’ve played a few mini-tour things in the Leeds area.

“But I live 15 minutes from here, so I’ve been practising here a lot. I’ve played the course for so many years now anyway.

“It’s in great condition. I’m pretty familiar with the course, but its in the best condition I’ve ever seen it.

“Knowing the course so well can put a bit more pressure on you. I probably felt that early on.

“Once I settled down and made some birdies it was alright. I made some good swings and some good birdies.”

Physical work in lockdown pays off for Paratore

PARATORE, who hails from Rome, said: “I played really solid. I had a bogey-free round and played really well from tee to green.

“I started really well with three birdies, I saved a couple of pars with some really good putts – a solid round.

“It was a good way to come back. It was good to know the European Tour was starting again.

Renato added: “It wasn’t easy during the lockdown. I’m really happy to be here right now.

“During lockdown I didn’t practice, just physically and rested a lot,” said the Italian, who lost a play-off to Danish teenager Rasmus Højgaard in Mauritius, in December.

“Then golf courses reopened, so I started to practice a lot in June. So I prepared well for the first tournament,” said the winner of the 2017 Nordea Masters.

Tournament host Lee Westwood, battled to a one-under 70 while Oxfordshire’s Eddie Pepperell had a solid start on his return to golf after four months out, signing for a four-under 67.

•For live scoring in round two and to follow David Law click here.

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David Law the defending champion in the men’s event at the ground-breaking ISPS Handa Vic Open, which returns to Australia’s 13th Beach Golf Links. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

SCOTLAND’S David Law is relishing the opportunity to defend a European Tour title for the first time in his career as he returns to Australia for the ISPS Handa Vic Open.

The 29-year-old produced a sensational finish last year at 13th Beach Golf Links, with an eagle on the par five 18th hole putting him one stroke ahead of runners-up Brad Kennedy and Wade Ormsby.

Returning to Barwon Heads, Law is hoping to recapture the form which saw him win a European Tour title in his rookie year after graduating from the European Challenge Tour.

Law said: “It’s good to be back and it’s a special tournament for me, it brings back great memories. It’s good to know that I can do that.

“It’s obviously a special way to win a tournament – I just need to give myself the opportunity more.

“That’s the main thing I speak about with my coach Alan McCloskey. He says I need to get my game to the stage where I’m given the opportunity to do that more often.

“I was a rookie on tour and winning so soon after getting my card was quite a big change to my lifestyle and my mindset.

“I came out here really just wanting to compete and then all of a sudden I had won, it was quite a big change.

“It was good experience going to new courses and tournaments that I had never been to before,” said Law reflecting on his first year on Tour.

“I don’t think people understand how tough that is.

“Some people take to it straight away, but I played on the Challenge Tour for five, six years, I think.

“So I was used to going back to the same places. I find that aspect of it quite tough – it’s been up and down, but it’s good.

Law was reasonably confident of his chances of making a good defence Down Under this week saying his game was “pretty good” in the early weeks of 2020, even if his results have not been what he has been hoping for.

“I’m kind of showing bits of form,” said the pro who claimed the Scottish Amateur Championship twice in 2009 and 2011, having also claimed the double by winning the Scottish Boys in the first of those successful seasons.

“Results-wise hasn’t been great,” added Law. “I think I’ve made four of the six cuts, but I haven’t done particularly well result-wise.

“I’m not really scoring all that great, but I think the form is actually pretty good. I’m not far away from playing well.”

Law will play the first two rounds in the company of one of last year’s runners-up in Ormsby, who recently won the reschedule Hong Kong Open.

DAVID LAW CLAIMS MAIDEN WIN AT VIC OPEN

They will be joined by Kiwi Ryan Fox, who won the 2019 ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

The ISPS Handa Vic Open sees men’s and women’s tournaments played concurrently on the same golf courses at 13th Beach Golf Links for equal prize money.

The first two rounds are played on the Beach and Creek courses before play returns to the Beach course for the weekend.

A 36-hole cut will see both fields reduced to the top 60 and ties, and a further cut after the third round reduces each field to 35 and ties.

All rounds are played in alternating men’s and women’s groups.

The men’s event is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, while the women’s event is co-sanctioned by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG).

•To follow David Law in the first round click here for live scoring click here.

2019 ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Ryan Fox, from New Zealand

The post David Law reflects on Vic Open triumph confident he’s heading in right direction appeared first on Golf North.