Staff WriterThe Omega European Masters got off to a start on Thursday that could best be described as equal parts golf and ghost story.
Dense fog rolled in at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club, reducing visibility to the point where half the field didn’t even get the chance to swing a club.
Those who did looked more like they were teeing off into a bowl of soup than the Swiss Alps.
Through the mist, Richard Mansell and Ivan Cantero emerged with matching rounds of 65 to sit atop the leaderboard at five under par.
For Mansell, it was a grind that turned into a birdie binge; for Cantero, it was a round lit up by an eagle and some bold shot-making that cut through the gloom like a lighthouse beam.
Only eight groups managed to complete 18 holes before play was suspended at around 8 pm local time, darkness swallowing up what little daylight the fog had spared.
The rest of the field will begin their first rounds on Friday morning, making this one of the most staggered starts in recent Omega European Masters memory.
Mansell’s Recovery Run
Mansell’s day didn’t exactly start with roses and champagne. Beginning on the 10th tee, he stumbled out with a bogey but quickly regained his footing. Birdies on the 12th, 15th, and 17th had him turning in 33, and from there he caught fire—three birdies in his last four holes sealing his spot at the top.
If there’s one thing Mansell proved, it’s that fog might be able to hide the mountains, but it couldn’t smother his putter.
Cantero’s Spark
Spaniard Ivan Cantero had his own flair for the dramatic. After settling into a steady rhythm, he lit up the back nine with a curling birdie on 13 before following it with an eagle on 14. Add in four birdies and a lone bogey, and it was the sort of scorecard that whispers “contender” rather than “lucky break.”
Chasing Pack
Behind them, home favourite Ronan Kleu was keeping Swiss hopes alive, tied for third at four under through 13 holes alongside South African veteran Richard Sterne. Guido Migliozzi of Italy was the most efficient of the bunch, signing for a completed 66.
Two-time champion Matt Fitzpatrick, who still has three holes to finish when play resumes Friday, is lurking just two shots back on three under. If history has taught us anything, it’s that Fitzpatrick tends to treat Crans-sur-Sierre like his personal Swiss chalet.
What’s Next
Friday will be a marathon, with half the field still waiting to play a single hole and those who did finish their rounds hoping the fog lifts long enough to allow momentum to build.
For now, the leaderboard is topped by a pair of players who proved that even in pea-soup conditions, class shines through.
The Omega European Masters has always had a knack for drama, and if day one is any indication, this edition might be remembered less for picture-perfect alpine scenery and more for the sheer unpredictability of the golf.
