Couch dude Colsaerts fighting fit in Italy
After being forced to withdraw in Holland last week due to illness, Nicolas Colsaerts was back on form to share the lead with Ricardo Gonzalez and Max Kieffer at the 70° Open d’Italia LINDT thanks to a weekend at home on the couch being looked after by his mum.
The Belgian Ryder Cup star bogeyed his first hole on day one at Circolo Golf Torino, but reeled off seven birdies in his next eight holes to reach the turn in six under. A more sedate back nine followed for Colsaerts, but the 30 year old finished with a birdie on the last to join Gonzalez and Kieffer on seven under par and one stroke clear of Australia’s Marcus Fraser.
“Apart from the bogey at the tenth, my first hole of the day, I got off to an amazing start and was kind of flying on my front nine,” said Colsaerts.
“Then I didn’t make birdie on the first which is an easy par five and then there were a few occasions where I had wedge in hand and didn’t give myself the chances for birdies that I probably should have. It was nice to finish with a birdie though and get a good round in.
Asked how he had recovered from the illness he picked up in Holland, Colsaerts’ comeback was up to his usual high standard.
“Nothing beats being back home with your mum looking after you – everyone knows that man,” replied the man commonly known as ‘the Dude’. “I was sitting at home on the couch watching the golf from Holland and was quite happy to be looked after by my mum. It was the best place to be for me and I feel a lot better for it. Sometimes nothing else will do!”
Kieffer may well need some of the same treatment. The young German, who lost in that unforgettable nine-hole play-off at the Spanish Open to Raphaël Jacquelin earlier in the season, admitted he was suffering from the cold and not feeling his best about coming to Italy but he soon banished any doubts with a fine 65.
Gonzalez, meanwhile, produced his own brand of outstanding play. The big Argentine was at his prodigious best as he covered his last seven holes in five under to join the lead.
Francesco Molinari, playing around the course he learned to play the game along with brother Edoardo, leads the Italian challenge on four under par. His younger countryman, Matteo Manassero posted a two under 70 but the home performance of the day arguably came from Circolo Golf Torino’s 16 year old amateur Edoardo Raffaele Lipparelli, who managed to open his European Tour career with a three under 69.
Complete Round One Scores:
