Staff WriterJohn Gough made the Blot Play9 look suspiciously manageable on Thursday, carding a bogey-free 63 at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André to take a one-stroke lead after the opening round on France’s exposed northwest coast.
This was not one of those scruffy low rounds held together with string, hope and a putter behaving like a trained spaniel. It was clean, controlled and neatly arranged: back-to-back birdies to begin, five more gains to follow, and not a single dropped shot to stain the card.
For a player who finished fourth here in 2025, just two shots behind eventual winner James Morrison, it was a familiar venue and a very useful opening statement.
Gough Starts Fast And Stays Out Of Trouble
The Englishman wasted no time in moving through the gears. Two birdies in his first two holes gave the round immediate shape, and although he felt there was even more out there, very few golfers complain too loudly after a day when the scorecard has no bogeys and the highest number is a four.
“It was nice,” he said. “It’s not often that four is your highest score and I’ve been struggling on the par fives recently, so having two of them and taking advantage of them definitely helped.”
“I got off to a hot start which was nice. I lipped out on three, so I feel like my scoring could have been a bit better, but you take what you can get.”
That last line tells you plenty. Golfers are remarkable creatures. Give them a 63 and they will immediately start mourning the one that stayed above ground. Still, Gough took care of the day’s main business: he made the easy holes count, avoided the expensive errors, and kept the round moving when the course began to bare its teeth.
Playing Partners Help Set The Tempo
Gough was not alone in finding a rhythm. His group had the kind of collective momentum that can make a round feel less like a grind and more like a shared expedition in sensible scoring. Wouter de Vries posted a 64, while Maxime Legros signed for a 67.
“The group did well,” he added. “Wouter and Maxime also played really well so that helped to push me along.
“I had two nice saves on 17 and 14 which kept the momentum going.
“I’m very pleased to get in on day one and post a good number. Obviously, there’s a long way to go and the course is already getting fiery, and it will be quite fun over the next few days.”
That “fiery” line is doing a fair bit of work. Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André is not the sort of place where a player can assume Thursday’s kindness will extend an invitation to the weekend. The course sits open to the elements, and even when the morning draw behaves itself, the place has enough coastal mischief to make certainty look foolish.
A Calm Morning Proves Costly For The Chasers
Gough took full advantage of the calmer early conditions, a useful detail on a course where wind can turn club selection into a small act of theology.
“I had a nice run here last year so I kind of know what to expect come the weekend, so I’m looking forwards to it.
“There wasn’t too much wind out there, we definitely got the nicer side of the draw here, although the wind may not pick up as much as expected this afternoon.
“It was nice to get out early, especially with how hot it is too.”
There is no escaping the importance of that early tee time. A hot day, limited wind and a course beginning to firm up gave Gough the window he needed. He stepped through it with the brisk efficiency of a man who remembered exactly where the opportunity was hidden.
Blot Play9 Leaderboard Takes Shape
Behind Gough, the chasing pack is already close enough to keep the first-round leader honest.
Spanish pair Joseba Torres and Pablo Ereño sit one shot off the pace alongside Wouter De Vries and Tom Gueant. German Marc Hammer is alone in sixth on five under par.
That leaves the Blot Play9 nicely balanced after day one. Gough has the lead, but not the luxury of distance. One stroke is not a cushion in tournament golf; it is a decorative napkin in a gale.
Second Round Tee Times
The second round of the Blot Play9 begins at 7:40 am on Friday.
Gough, De Vries and Legros will tee off at 1:50 pm, by which point the course may have changed mood entirely. Thursday belonged to Gough because he was tidy, sharp and opportunistic. Friday will ask a slightly different question.
On this stretch of the French coast, the trick is not merely to shoot low. It is to do so before the golf course remembers it has a reputation to protect.
