Turkish Airlines Open: Tom Lewis, Matthias Schwab share early lead
Defending champion Justin Rose two strokes off the pace; Race to Dubai leader Bernd Wiesberger six shots back
Thursday 7 November 2019 16:34, UK
Tom Lewis birdied six of his last seven holes to hold a share of the lead after the opening round of the Turkish Airlines Open.
The Englishman's fast finish closed out a seven-under 65 and set the clubhouse target at Montgomerie Maxx Royal, only for Matthias Schwab to match his total on a low-scoring day.
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Thomas Pieters and Alex Noren both made bogey-free starts to the week to sit in a share of second alongside David Lipsky, who birdied five of his first six holes, while Justin Rose began his bid for a third consecutive Turkish title with a five-under 67.
Lewis opened with a birdie at the par-five first and cancelled out a bogey at the fifth by picking up a shot at the next, before back-to-back gains from the 12th sparked a late charge up the leaderboard.
The 28-year-old followed a birdie at the 15th by converting from four feet at the next and then holing a 20-footer at the 17th to move into a share of the advantage, with a 10-foot gain at the last enough to temporarily give him the outright advantage.
"I wasn't comfortably rolling it on the front nine, even though I hit some good shots," Lewis said. "On the back nine I continued to hit good shots and I felt more confident on putts. That's going to be the difference this week between the guy that wins and the guys that don't."
Schwab rolled in a 15-foot eagle at the fourth and posted birdies at the first, sixth and eighth to put pressure on the lead, only to reach the turn in 31 after failing to get up and down from the rough to save par at the ninth.
The Austrian holed from eight feet at the 11th and made a two-putt gain at the 13th, before signing off his round with a 12-foot birdie at the last to join Lewis on seven under.
Rose birdied two of his opening four holes but posted bogeys either side of a chip-in eagle at the 11th to leave himself three off the pace, before finishing with three consecutive bogeys to get within two of the lead.
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Danny Willett carded a blemish-free 67 to sit in the group tied-sixth alongside Rose, Scott Jamieson, who birdied three of his final four holes, Joost Luiten, Benjamin Hebert and Thomas Detry, while Race to Dubai leader Bernd Wiesberger started with a one-under 71.
Watch the Turkish Airlines Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from 9am on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.
