Jason Scrivener has enjoyed a rare shining start to a European Tour event, the Australian stalwart shooting a flawless six-under par 65 on the Paris Olympic course to lie just two shots off the lead at the French Open.
It’s not been the easiest season for the 37-year-old South African-born player, who’s lying 122nd in the season-long Race to Dubai order of merit, but Scrivener was in the mood at Le Golf National on Thursday as he recorded six birdies and no bogeys.
After he started at the 10th, five of his birdies were racked up over his first 10 holes, and included a 196-yard approach from the rough at the 18th to within two feet for a tap-in three.
It put the world No.438, whose best performance at a European Tour event was his second-place finish at the lucrative Abu Dhabi Championship back in 2021, in a seven-way tie for second place behind US leader Michael Kim, the defending French Open champ.
Kim shot an eight-under-par 63, and like Scrivener didn’t drop a shot over the Albatros course where Scottie Scheffler won Olympic gold two years ago.
In the pursuing group, Scrivener was joined on six-under by English duo Matt Fitzpatrick and Sam Bairstow, Italians Matteo Manassero and Gregorio de Leo, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan and South African Thriston Lawrence.
Kim recorded a birdie at the first and gained three more shots on the front nine to reach the turn in 32, before recording four more birdies on the back nine.
A strong Australian contingent featured at Le Golf National, with former British Open champ Cam Smith making a rare European Tour appearance only to shoot a disappointing one-over 72, like his fellow LIV Golf teammate Elvis Smylie.
Brisbane’s Anthony Quayle did rather better, lying joint-ninth after a fine opening five-under 66, which featured seven birdies, while Ryan Peake shot a 68 and Jack Buchanan 69.
British favourite Tommy Fleetwood, returning to the scene of his 2018 Ryder Cup heroics, found the water at the last and had to take a penalty before clocking up a bogey for a two-under 69.
