Staff WriterLars van Meijel turned Royal Óbidos into his personal playground on Thursday, firing a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 to grab the outright lead after day one of the Open de Portugal.
The Dutchman’s card was as clean as a freshly laundered scorecard, featuring five birdies and a thunderous eagle to sit one shot clear of a jam-packed leaderboard.
Starting on the 10th, van Meijel wasted no time. He rolled in birdies at his opening two holes, added another at the 18th for a brisk outward 33, and kept his foot down on the way home.
A birdie at the 1st, a majestic eagle on the par-five 5th, and a final birdie on the 9th wrapped up a round that looked more like a highlights reel than a Thursday stroll.
“I felt really good out there,” van Meijel said. “I holed some putts and hit some really good wedge shots too. I’ve got to keep doing the same stuff and try to stay aggressive. I feel a bit more focussed with not too many events left before the end of the season. I’ve definitely been a bit more disciplined with it being the end of the year.”
The timing couldn’t be better. Sitting 44th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings with just four events remaining, van Meijel knows every stroke counts. Only the top 46 advance to November’s Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A, and a big week on Portugal’s Silver Coast could punch his ticket.
“If you drive it well around here there are a couple of really good opportunities, which I want to take advantage of,” he added. “If you can also dial the wedges, there are a couple of good looks. Still, everything needs to be absolutely on it, and you have to keep making putts. You’re going to hit an off shot, so you must rely on your short game too. Hopefully there will be less wind in the morning, which I can make the most of.”
Crowded Chase Pack
Breathing down his neck are Italian Renato Paratore, Spaniard Quim Vidal, Scotsman Sam Locke, Chilean Gabriel Morgan, and Frenchman Mathieu Decottignies-Lafon, all tucked in one back on six under.
Another cluster lurks just behind on five under, including seasoned Englishman David Horsey, compatriot Alfie Plant, Italy’s Filippo Celli, and Spain’s Sebastian Garcia. In other words, blink and the leaderboard reshuffles.
What’s Next
Round two of the Open de Portugal tees off at 7:50 a.m. local time on Friday, with van Meijel heading back into action at 9:18 a.m. alongside England’s Frank Kennedy and France’s Sebastian Gros.
If the Dutchman can keep the wedges sharp and the putter humming, he might just turn Thursday’s fireworks into a weekend headline.
