Robert MacIntyre was delighted with his start to the D+D REAL Czech Masters as he and several other Ryder Cup hopefuls all rose to the challenge to impress Luke Donald.
MacIntyre is the man in possession of the final automatic Ryder Cup spot on the European Points List, and made a statement that he intends to stay there with a round of 66 in front of captain Donald in Prague.
"I'm delighted with the round," MacIntyre said after his round. "I was hoping for that after last week. I felt like I drove it well, iron play was good and I putted decent. I've got a lot on my mind, a lot going on and I've just got to keep fighting."
A win for MacIntyre, along with none of his rivals finishing in the top five, would clinch that automatic spot for the Scotsman in the European side, but there are plenty of players lining up to challenge at Albatross Golf Resort.
Several Ryder Cup hopefuls are playing alongside Donald and three of his vice-captains - Nicolas Colsaerts and Francesco and Edoardo Molinari - who are all playing the Czech Masters.
Alexander Bjork is down in 20th on the European Points List but is obviously on the captain's radar as he was also playing alongside Donald - and made the most of his chance to finish with four straight birdies as he shot 65.
"It was really fun," Bjork said. "Luke is a great player and a player looked up to when I was younger. It was fun playing with him.
"We're getting close (to the Ryder Cup) but I'm just trying to focus, like I have done all season, on what I should do with my game. I'm still doing that and that's what I should do."
How did Ryder Cup hopefuls play in Prague?
Nicolai Hojgaard - 65
Francesco Molinari had to have been impressed with the Dane's round of 65 that contained six birdies and an eagle with just one bogey.
Hojgaard ranked second in the field for both driving distance and greens in regulation in round one - that's a winning combination in any format.
Yannik Paul - 66
The German is in fourth just behind MacIntyre in qualification and matched the Scotsman's effort with a flawless 66 of his own - capped off by holing out from the sand at the last.
You suspect he has to qualify to get in and he's still in there fighting.
Adrian Meronk - 67
Meronk was a birdie machine, with eight of them in his first-round 67, but made a few soft errors as well with three bogeys stopping his round from being even better.
Ludvig Aberg - 68
Talk about making an entrance! The young Swede stepped up and smoked a laser off the first tee that led to an eagle start playing alongside Francesco Molinari - and followed it up with four more birdies and just two bogeys.
If he'd holed a few more putts it would have been even better but he seems to have the temperament for the big occasion and has done his chances of making a surprise Ryder Cup debut no harm at all.
An eagle at the first hole of the week for Ludvig Aberg! 🤯#CzechMasters https://t.co/LKVIw7mqS6 pic.twitter.com/2lnOMTEvy6August 24, 2023
Victor Perez - 68
Not a bad round at all from the Frenchman with five birdies and a bogey, but you get the feeling that he really needs something special to get really back into the reckoning.
Pablo Larrazabal - 68
It's a similar story for Larrazabal, who looked well-placed to make the team thanks to a two-win season on the DP World Tour, but he's been quiet recently and needs more than this to remind Donald that he's around.
Rasmus Hojgaard - 70
He was four under through 10 holes but three bogeys coming home killed all his momentum - and he was completely overshadowed by his brother.
He has money in the bank with a win this season but a shoulder injury cost him vital time out and qualifying points.
Padraig Harrington - 71
The last captain admitted his chances had all-but gone, with only a dominant victory or two huge displays in the final two weeks even giving him a sniff. This was not the best start with a double bogey and bogey on his back nine wrecking his card.
Shane Lowry - 71
There's not many people who think Lowry won't get a captain's pick, and he's mainly just showing willing by heading over to Europe for the final two events.
And he was left mightily frustrated after wasting a blazing start that saw him birdie four of his first five holes - with three bogeys in a bad back-nine stretch of four holes seeing the Irishman's blood boil.
