Thursday 28 April 2016 16:04, UK
Hennie Otto roared back to form on the opening day of the Volvo China Open as he fired a flawless nine-under 63 to open up a two-shot lead over the field.
Otto carded seven birdies and pitched in for an eagle at the long eighth as he posted only his second sub-70 round of a season in which he has made the cut only twice in seven starts, with a best finish of tied for 35th.
The South African, 39, has been in the doldrums since landing his third European Tour title at the Italian Open in 2014, since when he has failed to register a single top-10 finish.
But he got himself back on track at the Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing, and the hard work he has put in on his putting paid dividends as he used only 23 putts in the first round.
"I played really well today," he told the European Tour. "The first hole I saved a good par and I think that gave me momentum.
"After that, I hit it really close and I broke 30 putts. You have to hit it in the right places and that's the thing I did today. I hit them close, that makes a big difference.
"It's a nice golf course. The greens are not what we're used to but we've got a few courses in South Africa with the same type of grass and the slopes so we adapt quickly. I've been playing well, but I haven't been putting well. I've been working hard on it and today it showed."
Otto started at the 10th and cruised to the turn in 33 before a run of four birdies in six holes from the second swept him to seven under, and he then vaulted into the outright lead when he chipped in for a superb three at the eighth.
His round was his lowest since firing a 62 en route to the Italian Open title, and it earned the 39-year-old a two-stroke advantage over Bernd Wiesberger, who made four birdies in five holes on the back nine with his only blemish coming at the 14th.
Former Ryder Cup player Peter Hanson also eagled the eighth and kept a bogey off his card as he returned a six-under 66 to join Roope Kakko, Fabrizio Zanotti and Gregory Bourdy in a share of third.
Joost Luiten and Alex Noren are a further stroke adrift, with Scotland's Richie Ramsay and Englishman Tyrrell Hatton among a large group of players on four under par.
Shot of the day went to Sweden's Rikard Karlberg, who won himself a brand new Volvo XC90 after making a hole-in-one with a perfect seven-iron at the 201-yard 16th.
"I was discussing up on the tee with my caddie what club to hit and how to hit it and I had to give in," he said. "I was not convinced but he convinced me how I should hit it and I hit it just like that and it ended up perfectly.
"I'll probably give him two of the tyres or something as a thank you! The Volvo factory is 30 minutes from where I live so it's pretty cool I've won a Swedish car in China."
