Englishmen Charlie Ford and Paul Maddy took advantage of the serene conditions at the stunning Kytäjä Golf to soar into a share of the lead with a pair of 64s in the opening round of the Vacon Open.
The two compatriots sat atop the leaderboard on seven under par as the overnight rain softened the greens and the wind, which whipped through the lakeside venue prior to the event, was reduced to barely a breath on day one of the sixth edition of the popular event.
For Maddy, who won the satellite EuroPro Tour Order of Merit in 2012, it was a career best round on the Challenge Tour, having carded four birdies and a bogey to reach the turn in three under par.
The 33 year old’s putter was red-hot all day and he rolled in a 25-footer at the 11th for birdie to reboot his momentum after dropping at shot before the turn.
Back to back birdies at the 14th and 15th moved him one clear on six under par and while he fell to an uncharacteristic three-putt at the par four 17th for a second bogey of the day, he bounced back in superb style.
The Cambridge player slammed a perfect drive down right hand side the fairway at the signature lake-side 18th hole before his three-wood approach fell to within ten feet and he deftly knocked in a difficult downhill putt for an eagle and a share of the lead.
“That’s probably the best I’ve played to date on the Challenge Tour, certainly this year,” said Maddy. “It’s not an easy course but I managed to keep it in play off the tee and then just holed more than my fair share of putts.
“I had a couple from 20 feel plus which is always pleasing. I had two-three putts so the round could have been lower but I can’t complain with the rest of it.
“It’s fantastic to finish with an eagle too. I had three-putted from the same distance on 17 so it was nice to get it on the last.
“I felt like my game has been there but hasn’t quite materialised yet. I played well in a few tournaments but didn’t push on so hopefully this week will be a starting point for good things to come. I feel my confident now which is nice, so it’s just about holing putts for the rest of the week.”
Ford, meanwhile, was delighted to have returned to the form which earned him a third round lead at the recent Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf, where he eventually finished in seventh place.
While the 29 year old was disappointed to have followed that up with two missed cuts, he feels the course this week suits his game down to the ground and he put much of his success down to his smooth iron play.
“I just hit it great today,” said the Leicester player, whose sole win came at the 2010 Turkish Airlines Challenge.
“I think I had four two-putt birdies in there so it was really the ball-striking that did the damage and I managed to make a nice putt at 17, probably the only one I made that was of note. I was just really good from tee to green.
“They were absolutely perfect conditions for scoring, hardly a breath of wind, so you couldn’t ask for better conditions. But it’s a great golf course, probably one of the best we’ve played. The chances were there with it being soft too, just pitch and stop it on the greens.
“It was really solid and I made the par fives in two. I was disappointed not to birdie the last because that would have been the first time I’d have had no fives on my card.
“I'm confident and I love this golf course so I’m looking forward to playing it again, especially if we get conditions like this. I feel they probably suit me pretty well.
“I missed this event on this course a couple of years ago and everyone was telling me it was a course I’d like so I was excited to get here so it’s nice to be here now.”
