Staff WriterDan Bradbury stormed into the spotlight at the Italian Open on Thursday, carding a flawless six-under 64 to snatch the solo lead after the opening round at Argentario Golf Club—and in the process, etching his name into the course record books.
The 25-year-old Englishman, who clinched his second DP World Tour title at the FedEx Open de France last season, bolted out of the gate like a man late for dinner—reeling off four consecutive birdies to begin his round.
After notching another gain at the seventh, Bradbury joined Norway’s Andreas Halvorsen at the top of the leaderboard before edging ahead with a birdie at the par-four 15th and cruising home with three steady pars.
Dan Bradbury: “That was a nice way to start. I hit it close on the first, which was a great way to start. Tried to keep it going, but lost it a little bit – I’ll still take the day. Missed a chance at the end, but I’d have taken that score standing on the first tee.
“My last tournament round was Amsterdam, so that was a nice way to finish with five under. Coming here, I’m playing better. I feel like I’ve been playing well all year but not getting the results. I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I’m doing the exact same thing but signing for lower scores. It doesn’t make sense, but I’ll take it. I’m not complaining.”
Halvorsen had set the morning pace with a five-under 65, mixing seven birdies with a pair of dropped shots.
He didn’t have to wait long for company. Italy’s own Francesco Laporta, playing alongside Bradbury, matched Halvorsen’s score thanks to six birdies and just one bogey, delighting the home fans with his tidy ball-striking.
The Italian Open, always a magnet for drama and momentum swings, wasted no time delivering again this year. Just a shot off the pace sits a five-strong pack on four-under, including Spain’s Ángel Ayora, the Netherlands’ Wil Besseling, New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori, Germany’s Marcel Schneider, and England’s Brandon Robinson-Thompson—each quietly keeping themselves in the hunt.
Home hopes remain firmly alive with veteran Italians Andrea Pavan and Edoardo Molinari both carding rounds of three-under to sit in a share of ninth. They’re part of a logjam of nine players, all within three of the lead, making for a crowded and combustible leaderboard heading into Friday’s second round.
With warm weather, receptive greens, and the scent of opportunity thick in the Tuscan air, this Italian Open promises fireworks—and if Bradbury’s opening salvo is any indication, the best may be yet to come.
