Mallow’s James Sugrue brushed off nine months of cobwebs and carded a bogey-free, six-under 64 to take the first-round lead in the Alps Tour’s Memorial Giorgio Bordoni presented by AON in Italy.
The 2019 Amateur champion (27) made four birdies and an eagle two at the fourth to lead by a shot from France’s Alexandre Daydou and Austria’s Lukas Lipold with Rob Moran and Marc Boucher 84th after two-over 72s at Golf Club La Pinetina in Como.
Sugrue has endured a difficult road since turning professional at the beginning of 2020, coping with the pandemic and injury.
“I haven’t played a competitive round in about nine months, so it’s good to be able to refresh, and I was really looking forward to this week,” the Cork man said.
“To be honest, even last night, I couldn’t wait for today to come. I was bogey-free today, and to be honest, I didn’t look like I was going to make a bogey today. Everything was good. My iron play probably stood out a little for the rest, but everything was sharp.
“The overnight rain did soften out the course, but it was playing great. The greens were very true and brilliant to putt on.”
Sugrue was not looking too far ahead and planned on enjoying dinner first.
“Heading to Lake Como tonight for dinner, and then I plan to enjoy the next two rounds out here and see where that will take me,” he said.
Brandon St John shot 76 and Paul McBride 78.