McGrane sets early pace in Korea
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Irishman Damien McGrane is setting the early pace in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea after firing an opening round 66 (-6).
The 40-year-old holds a one-shot advantage over Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, England’s Richard Finch and local hero Park Sang-hyun.
Said McGrane, who bagged eight birdies in his superb opening round: “I made plenty of birdies and I putted nicely.
“I holed everything inside 15 feet, so I made two bogeys which were out of nowhere really but that’s golf I suppose.
McGrane is well on course for his first top-20 finish of the season having secured 22nd place at last week’s Volvo China Open where he picked up his only European Tour title three years ago.
Finch has also gone three years without a European Tour victory, but the 33 year old has been in good form recently, notching up three top-11 finishes in his last seven outings.
Like Finch, Aguilar has been in fine form recently after finishing sixth in Spain last month and third in Malaysia two weeks ago.
Park is playing only his third European Tour event, but the 26 year old was in good form with six birdies and a single dropped shot.
World no.1 Lee Westwood double bogeyed his last hole of the day for a level par 72, two behind his Ryder Cup opponent Dustin Johnson.
