17 September 2021: Niall Kearney birdied three of his last four holes to edge into a one shot lead after day one of the 2021 Dutch Open. Ajeetesh Sandhu was the best returning Indian on day one, posting three-under 69 on his card. Shubhankar Sharma, fresh off a spectacular top ten in the BMW PGA Championship is a further stroke back at 70. SSP Chawrasia started with a 75.
The Irishman took a three week break after finishing in the top 30 at the D+D Real Czech Masters but showed no signs of rust as a bogey free 65 moved him to seven under at Bernardus Golf.
German Maximilian Kieffer and Dane Martin Simonsen were then at six under, with a group of nine players two shots off the lead.
“I played very well except for one hole. I wasn’t really fighting for par and hit great shots all day, even on 18 when I made bogey, I made some putts, so everything worked well today,” said Kieffer.
“I like the course a lot. I f you play bad shots you will get in trouble but if you hit good shots you get plenty of chances, and that is how a course should play. If the wind picks up it is definitely going to be a bit trickier but it is great, especially the back nine, it’s nice for the eye as well.
“I have my eye on the top 50 to get to Dubai. I am inside that now but I have to play good golf over the next couple of weeks, so that is definitely the goal.”
Kearney does not have full playing privileges on the European Tour but has been making his mark, recording his first two top tens and carding a 61 en route to one of them at the Canary Islands Championship.
He also led the way into the weekend at the BMW International Open and is feeling confident in his surroundings as he battles to earn a card over the closing weeks of the season from 128th in the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex.
“This year has been positive for me. I have had a lot of good finishes and put myself in the right spaces and I have grown in confidence from it. I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable which is great,” said Kearney.
“I found it really enjoyable, it’s got a real links feel to it. I play links golf at home, so I felt right at home, and I have been at home the past three weeks, so I feel rested somewhat and really enjoyed it.
“I had a chip-in midway through the back nine, that was a bit of help and finished well, a couple under the last three holes so nice to finish that way and holed that one from 30 feet on 18.”
Belgian Thomas Detry came home in 30 to sit in the group at five under alongside Canada’s Aaron Cockerill, Welshman Rhys Enoch, England’s Ben Evans and Sam Horsfield, Dane Marcus Helligkilde, Spaniard Santiago Tarrio and Scot Euan Walker.
