Bernhard Langer (-1) is going to turn 67 years old in 23 days. Last week he played the US Senior Open on the legendary course of Newport Country Club just over 6,300 meters. He finished on Monday and took a transoceanic flight to Germany. This Thursday he has made 71 strokes at the Golfclub München Eichenried, on the first day of the BMW International Open. A course of more than 6,700 meters. “I’ve hit more 3 woods and 2 hybrids in this round than if we put together the last two weeks. Definitely, this course does not suit my game”, the German legend commented smiling after handing in his card. Genius and figure.
Of the 78 golfers who have gone out to play in the morning shift in Munich, only 27 have presented a better result than Langer. And some of them could be his grandson. The tireless Teuton has once again shown that it is never too late for him and that yes, this is his last tournament on the DP World Tour, but he is going to try by all means to retire on Sunday and not on Friday. He has handed in a card with two birdies and a solitary bogey. Ryan Fox (-3) is the only player in the morning who has made fewer mistakes than him.
It is also not too late for Pablo Larrazábal (-2). In his case, to get into the Open Championship. He has two ways. The first is to win this tournament for the third time this week. The second is through the Genesis Scottish Open in seven days. The golfer from Barcelona has signed 70 strokes and is in the upper part of the classification, only four strokes behind the lead provisionally held by the Australian David Micheluzzi (-6).
Larrazábal has once again shown that he can make many birdies on this Munich course. In fact, only today have seven successes fallen. However, two bogeys and a double bogey have prevented him from being even closer to the head. The reality is that if he had been a little more successful with the putter, he would have been rubbing shoulders with the lead, especially in the first nine holes, where he has excelled in golf and has putted up to eight times for birdie from less than three meters. Keep him in mind for the rest of the tournament.
Of the Spaniards, Alfredo García Heredia (-1) and Adri Arnaus (-1) have also started under par, while Santi Tarrio (PAR) has pulled off a notable par round, after starting with three bogeys, and Nacho Elvira and Alex del Rey have complicated things a lot with rounds of +5 each.
As for the lead, great start for Patrick Reed (-5), who is looking for his first victory on any circuit since 2021, as well as the young South African Casey Jarvis (-5), who is having a solid season in his rookie year on the DP World Tour. Also up there are an inspired Joe Dean (-4), Romain Langasque (-4) or Thomas Power Horan (-4). Martin Kaymer has made -3 and continues to show signs of returning to his best level and Marcel Siem has made PAR.
