Brun set the pace in Ain Bay Open with opening 64

France’s Julien Brun set the pace in Ain Bay Open with a eight under par card. He scored a flawless 64 on Sokhna course BC, one shot clear over a group of 3 players, Dutch Lars Van Meijel and France’s Léo Lespinasse and Charly Russo.

Fair conditions this morning for the leader as the wind only picked up during a couple of hours during lunch time. Julien Brun, one of the new French talent, had a brilliant day.

« Really nice to start the season like this. I struggled a bit on back nine but I putted very well so it helped. Everything went right today and my putting was excellent. The course is fair, open, there are many wedge shots to the green. Greens are in excellent shape and I knew I had to go the lowest I can and I managed to do this today.

The key today was the putting, I holed some crucial ones on back nine to stay in the pace. I saved pars and holed long ones for birdies. We had good conditions playing in the morning with non wind but I really like to play in the wind so I am looking forward to play tomorrow. The course will be very funny to play in the wind. »

Eventually the afternoon was quite calm as far as weather was concerned but it was pretty hot on the 7^th. France’s Léo Lespinasse holed his first Albatross ever. After nice tee shot, he hit a 5 iron, straight in line and it was rolling on the green, he playing partner, Antoine Rozner shout « Get in ! »

« We saw the ball rolled and then it stopped and we could still see it so I thought I missed it, again. Yes again because, I was close a couple of time to hole for an albatross. We were chatting with my partners then, after a few seconds, we looked at the green and did not see it. A referee was at the green and told us that the ball stayed a few second by the stick and then eventually fell in the hole.
I did not jump nor shout and I managed to stay focus until the end. I holed nice putts and I did some mistakes too but it was a nice day. »

Same score for Netherlands’ Lars Van Meijel, 22, with 8 birdies and one bogey. He turned pro last November, was a member of the winning team in the last Palmer Cup and decided to come and play on Alps Tour because he ”likes France and Italy”.

« I played well, I dropped a shot on the third hole but yes but in general, good wedge shots, I hit the fairways. It was really windy during the practice round and I knew the guys on Pro Golf Tour a couple weeks ago shot really low and I couldn’t see scores like this with the wind but today, the wind went down a little bit. »

From Sokhna Golf Club
Agathe Séron