Turkish Airlines Open: Schwab, Lewis go low for the early lead

Austria’s Matthias Schwab and England’s Tom Lewis are the co-leaders of the Turkish Airlines Open after shooting opening rounds of 65 on Thursday.

Matthias Schwab had an eagle 3 at the par-5 4th on his card, along with six other birdies and a bogey, while Tom Lewis birdied six of his last seven holes, with the pair sitting a shot clear at -7, in the lead of the Turkish Airlines Open.

Neither man is inside the top 15 of the Race to Dubai list, with the Englishman currently as low down as 46th coming into the week. A good result here could see both move into the top ten with two events to go.

The pair sit a shot clear of three men, who fill out the rest of the top five spots. Sweden’s Alex Noren and Belgian Thomas Pieters both went bogey-free on day one, while American David Lipsky was in a share of the lead at -7, until a bogey at 16 saw him drop back a shot.

Six men then sit in a tie for 6th spot, including the defending two-time champion Justin Rose. The Englishman had an eventful round, with two bogeys, five birdies and an eagle at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal.

Rose is looking to become just the fourth man to win the same event in three straight years, and he looks to be in top form already in Antalya.

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He is joined in a tie for 6th by fellow countryman, and BMW PGA Champion, Danny Willett, who went bogey-free in his opening round.

Dutchman Joost Luiten, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, Belgium’s Thomas Detry and Frenchman Benjamin Hebert also sit in that group at -5.

The likes of Edoardo Molinari, Victor Perez, Terrell Hatton and Andrea Pavan sit a further shot back, just three off the lead, while Martin Kaymer and Erik van Rooyen are amongst those at -2.

There are several big names at -1 after their first day’s work in Turkey. Former Race to Dubai winner Francesco Molinari and the all-time European Tour money list topper Lee Westwood are in that group.

Former Masters champion Patrick Reed, current Race to Dubai No.1 Bernd Wiesberger and South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout are also six shots back from the leading pair.

It was not such a good day for British Open champion, and Race to Dubai No.3 Shane Lowry, who could only manage a level-par round of 72 on Thursday. He is joined by the only Turkish golfer in the Turkish Airlines Open field, amateur Taner Yamac at even par.

Haotong Li, Matt Wallace and Padraig Harrington are among those who failed to shoot 72 or better on the first day in Antalya, and they will be looking to improve on Friday.

As is the way with the final three events of the European Tour season, from the second round onwards, the leaders will go out in the final group.

Therefore, Matthias Schwab and Tom Lewis will tee off at 12:00 local (GMT+3) on Friday, alongside one of the men a shot back, David Lipsky. Will tomorrow be the day that two-time champion Justin Rose makes his move towards the top? Or can one of the leading pair go out and shoot another low score?

Leaderboard:

T1 (-7): Matthias Schwab (AUT), Tom Lewis (ENG)

T3 (-6): Alex Noren (SWE), Thomas Pieters (BEL), David Lipsky (USA)

T6 (-5): Justin Rose (ENG), Danny Willett (ENG), Joost Luiten (NED), Scott Jamieson (SCO), Thomas Detry (BEL), Benjamin Hebert (FRA)