The young German player Yannik De Bruyn (-9), Number 818 in the world, started his participation this morning in the European Open, where he barely made it according to his category 18 in the European circuit, sinking a putt of about 17 meters to make birdie at hole 1…
In the following four and a quarter hours, he would add up to ten more birdies on a course, the North course of the Green Eagle Golf Courses (Hamburg, Germany), where such blowouts are almost prohibited. With only two bogeys on his card, he signed off with a final score of 64 strokes, nine less on the day, placing himself at the top of the leaderboard, of course, and four strokes ahead of his immediate pursuers, the Englishman Laurie Canter (-5) and the Welshman Jack Davidson (-5).
And no, not everything has been pure or big hits in De Bruyn‘s round. In fact, what there was most was order and excellent second shots (even on three par 5s he put it in two on the green, and it’s not easy on this course). His performance has been a refreshing surprise, as he came from playing nine tournaments so far in 2024 and having missed seven cuts, although, yes, his best result to date, a meritorious thirteenth place, took place on a very complicated course, the DLF in New Delhi, venue of the India Open. With this background, it is difficult to establish to what extent De Bruyn is a reliable and solid leader, but for now there is what there is, which is a wonderful round of golf and a lead that can be a treasure.
This is the seventh edition of the tournament played on this course and the 64 of De Bruyn on this par 73 has matched the best score that had been given to date, although it only occurred on three occasions: Wiesberger and Wattel signed it in the last round of 2019 and Samooja did the same also in the last round and to win the tournament.
Although the first day could not be completed in its entirety, as it started with a three-hour delay due to persistent fog, a more than decent balance can be made of how things have gone. Once the fog cleared, the playing conditions were very good and it is true that birdies and good results have abounded, more than expected, even, but the German course has also shown its fierceness: we have more than a hundred players who have not been able to beat the course, for example, and more than forty percent of all participants (64 out of 156) who already have at least one double bogey or worse result on their card. Serious mistakes are very expensive in those German lands.
If we allow ourselves the luxury of not taking De Bruyn as a clear and unique reference, waiting to see how he evolves in the tournament, in reality things are tight, with more than sixty players within a margin of five strokes behind the young Teuton. Let’s say that all those who have beaten the course can feel satisfied.
In this club, the under par one, have so far joined Pablo Larrazábal (-3), who was even flirting with the lead during the first half of his round. Also Adri Arnaus (-2), Santi Tarrio (-1) and Rafa Cabrera Bello (-1), all of them within the top 30 of the tournament and with the options intact, as long as De Bruyn gives a truce.
The cut can go on Friday to +2 with some tranquility, also depending on the playing conditions, which also proves the complexity of the course and how relatively easy it is to shipwreck in the multiple and varied water obstacles that adorn the course.
