Richard Mansell was delighted to see the hard work paying off as he carded an opening 65 to sit just a shot off the lead after day one of the Cazoo Open de France.
The Englishman enjoyed a breakout year in 2022 with six top tens as he finished in the top 50 on the Rankings but he has struggled to follow that up after playing in the Hero Cup in January.
He made 12 of his first 13 cuts but registered just a single top ten and after missing four of his last six, he sits outside the top 100 on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
An opening 65 at Le Golf National, however, represents his second-lowest score of the season, and the 28-year-old is hopeful he can get back to his best.
“It’s been a really tough year," he said. "Just being honest, I’ve really struggled. I’ve lacked a lot of confidence but I feel like I’ve had a lot going on in my head and off the course. I’ve struggled to focus on the job at hand.
"I’ve really tried to work hard recently and think about things and reflect on last year and what I was doing well before.
"I was really proud of today. Stuck to my game plan, committed to shots and today pulled them off and shot a great score. That’s a massive boost because I’ve been working really hard but had nothing to show for it and I’ve really struggled.
"Golf is a tough game and I’m proud of that day but it doesn’t mean anything now. I’ve got to go and focus and switch my attention to tomorrow.”
