European Open Sees Top Players Take to Tampere Course
Date Published
The inaugural day of the 2009 European Open in Tampere, Finland, got off to a smooth start despite gloomy weather forecasts that called for showers. However, the skies cleared up just in time for the competition, allowing the best disc golfers from Europe and beyond to showcase their skills on the challenging Epila Park Course.
Carrie "Queen of Finland" Berlogar led the pack with an impressive 2-under par round of 58, boasting a single bogey only. Her remarkable performance catapulted her into a three-throw lead over World Champion Val Jenkins and Finnish top female disc golfer Anne Matilainen. Interestingly, only two players out of the total 111 participants managed to complete their rounds without incurring any blemishes – a testament to the high level of competition.
As for the men's division, reigning World Champion Dave Feldberg and current world number one Jesper Lundmark emerged as early leaders with identical 9-under par scores of 51. Feldberg, the sole representative from Team USA in the top seven, claimed the most birdies on the day with a total of eleven, but also suffered a setback when he scored a double bogey five on hole 11.
Finnish player Arttu Sikanen turned in an impressive performance, tying Denmark's KJ Nybo at 52 and keeping pace with Lundmark. Notably, Feldberg and Lundmark were the only players to achieve bogey-free rounds. Feldberg's exceptional display of birdies was matched by a worst score on hole 11, where his drive veered off course, forcing him to take two shots to recover.
The second card for tomorrow promises to be just as exciting, featuring top-rated Finnish player Timo Pursio, steady Swede Anders Swärd, and the 1011-rated teenage sensation Simon Lizotte. Each of these players managed nine birdies and two bogeys during their round.
Among those tied for eighth place at six-under-par are defending European Open champion Ken Climo, Japanese number one Manabu Kajiyama, and Joonas Hynönen, who "Finn-ished" with ten birdies but four drops to par.
While some players struggled to find their rhythm, including World Champion Avery Jenkins, who started strong only to falter on hole 7, others like Mikhail Krivyy of Russia had a more forgettable day. However, the highlight of the day belonged to Finnish player Janne Lindberg, who achieved a thrilling hole-in-one on the 75-meter 15th hole.
Follow the action live as the competition heats up tomorrow and the European players aim to maintain their dominance in the top spots. Check out the official event website for live scoring, photo galleries, and more.
This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/euro-open-day-1