In the ongoing Cazoo Open de France, Indian golfing talent Manu Gandas faced a challenging start, carding a 4-over 75, putting him at the 132nd spot. The daunting prospect of the weekend rounds looms large for Gandas, who encountered a challenging wet course, marking his scorecard with five bogeys, offset by a lone birdie on the sixth hole. The anticipated cut at even par signifies Gandas needs an exceptionally low score in the second round to stay in contention.
Having secured his spot in the DP World Tour due to an arrangement with the Indian Tour - where he previously topped the Order of Merit - much is expected from Gandas.
Contrasting Gandas's challenging start, South Korean prodigy Tom Kim displayed exemplary skill, braving the torrential rains to register a commendable seven-under par 64, putting him in the pole position on day one. The young golfer, making his debut at France's national open, navigated the wet and windy conditions at Le Golf National with finesse. He presently leads, closely trailed by Richard Mansell and Matt Southgate from England, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia from Spain, and Sweden's Joakim Lagergren. The latter is yet to finish his final hole, currently standing at six-under par.
Kim's extraordinary performance, especially his birdie spree on the inward nine, sets the stage for an exciting tournament. The 21-year-old golfer, who has two PGA TOUR wins to his name, showcased his prowess, and is hot on the heels of the quartet holding the second position. Ten more players, including Ewen Ferguson, David Law, Adrian Otaegui, and Rasmus Højgaard, are in a tie for the sixth spot.
The 105th edition of the Cazoo Open de France, revered as Europe's oldest national open, witnessed a historic moment. English golfer David Howell matched Miguel Ángel Jiménez's all-time appearance record. Competing for the 721st time on the DP World Tour, the five-time champion carded a three over par round of 74 on the inaugural day.
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