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Portugal Masters: Louis de Jager leads in hunt for European Tour card

By Matt Coles

QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 24: Louis de Jager of South Africa plays his shot off the 8th tee during Day One of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on October 24, 2019 in Quarteira, Portugal. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)
QUARTEIRA, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 24: Louis de Jager of South Africa plays his shot off the 8th tee during Day One of the Portugal Masters at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course on October 24, 2019 in Quarteira, Portugal. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images) /
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South Africa’s Louis de Jager is looking to move into the top 117 on the Race to Dubai list this week, and he leads the Portugal Masters after the first round.

Louis De Jager carded an eight-under-par round of 63 around the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course in Vilmaoura, and he holds a two-shot lead going into Friday’s play at the European Tour’s Portugal Masters.

The South African is looking to emulate the achievements of Nicolas Colsaerts from last week’s Open de France, where the Belgian won in emotional fashion to retain his tour card and go exempt through to the end of the 2021 season.

Louis de Jager came into the week in 123rd on the Race to Dubai list, and he needs a good result to move up the six places required to stay on the European Tour for 2020.

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He holds a two-shot lead from a trio of golfers, two of whom were in that battle for 117th at the start of the week. Compatriot Justin Walters, who was 121st and England’s Oliver Fisher, who was 112th, are both at -6.

Fisher is the only man to shoot a 59 on the European Tour, and he did so at this very event twelve months ago. He had seven birdies and a bogey on day one, while Walters went bogey-free.

The pair are joined by Australia’s Jake McLeod, who was not even in the picture in the race to save his card. However, as it stands, he currently sits in 116th, and would retain his European Tour presence for another season.

A further shot back at -5 is a group of seven people, including two more South Africans in the top ten. Brandon Stone shot his 66 in Vilamoura in the back end of the day, while Darren Fichardt went out early and came in with the same result.

The group also includes Matthew Southgate and Renato Paratore, who are playing together for the first two days. David Horsey is the third Englishman in the top ten, with South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang and Sihwan Kim of the United States also in that bunch.

There are some big names in the group at -4, with the likes of Lucas Bjerregard, Thomas Bjorn, Eddie Pepperell, Matt Wallace and Martin Kaymer all sitting within four shots of the leader.

The leading Portuguese player is Tiago Cruz, who came into his home event sitting just inside the top 1800 in the Official Golf World Rankings. He is currently at -2, while Daniel Rodrigues, a 17-year-old amateur is at -1, inside the projected cut line.

75 men are under par, with the cut line coming at -1. Those just below the line and sitting at level par include Paul Dunne, Bradley Dregde, Raphael Jacquelin and Marc Warren, while Bernd Ritthammer and Lee Slattery, both involved in the race for 117th, are a further shot back at +1.

Padraig Harrington is at +2 alongside Clement Sordet, while Gavin Moynihan, Max Schmitt and Stuart Manley are all a further shot back.

Back to the top of the leaderboard now, and with De Jager sitting pretty by two shots and going out before the majority of those in contention, the South African will be aiming to post a second consecutive low score to tighten his grip on the event, as he aims to keep his Tour Card, and grab his first win on the European Tour.

The likes of Walters, Fisher and McLeod behind him are also aiming to retain their cards, and will be looking to go low at Dom Pedro Victoria on Friday.

The first groups out on Friday will start at 08:00 local (GMT+1), with the majority of the leading players out after midday in Portugal.

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Leaderboard:

  • 1 (-8): Louis de Jager (RSA)
  • T2 (-6): Justin Walters (RSA), Oliver Fisher (ENG), Jake McLeod (AUS)
  • T5 (-5): Brandon Stone (RSA), Matthew Southgate (ENG), Renato Paratore (ITA), Jeunghun Wang (KOR), Darren Fichardt (RSA), David Horsey (ENG), Sihwan Kim (USA)

Selected Others:

  • T12 (-4): Lucas Bjerregard (DEN), Martin Kaymer (GER), Jack Singh Brar (ENG), Thomas Bjorn (DEN)
  • T23 (-3): Andy Sullivan (ENG), Lee Westwood (ENG), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP)
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