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Otto sets the pace in Belgium
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Otto sets the pace in Belgium

South Africa’s Hennie Otto, currently 135th in the Volvo Order of Merit, took a huge step towards retaining his European Tour card when he fired seven birdies in his last ten holes for an opening 64 in the Belgacom Open at Royal Zoute. Otto leads by one but among the chasing pack are the 1998 champion Lee Westwood and his Ryder Cup teammate Padraig Harrington.

Otto graduated from the Challenge Tour last season after playing only eight events but has struggled in his rookie season and needs to move up 20 places in the money list if he is to retain his playing rights. Over the past six weeks he has worked on his mental approach with Jos Vantisphalt, the Belgian sports psychologist who has worked with many Tour players including last week’s winner Retief Goosen. The result is renewed self belief as demonstrated by his run of birdies over the closing stretch.

He said: “I’ve been working really hard with my mental approach to the game and staying focused. It’s coming through slowly but surely. Jos helps you believe in yourself and staying focused. He gets you back up to form.

“Today I hit the ball great the first eight holes but just didn’t make the putts. Then made a 20 footer on nine and thought the luck was going to change. Hit a good second on ten to about six feet and made that. Then felt the confidence grow.”

Otto will need all his new-found confidence if he is to hold on to his lead. Westwood is currently 133 places above Otto on the Volvo Order of Merit with only Darren Clarke ahead of him but his priorities are on the Belgacom Open not the race to be Europe’s number one. Westwood also made a slow start, missing five birdie chances in his opening six holes but got his round going with a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh. Three more birdies coming home without a bogey put him right up among the leading contenders.

“I missed five good chances on the first six holes but got it back by making three birdies in a row. Then played quite solidly on the back nine. Got a bit unlucky with the two par fives with the lies I got but managed to make four on both of them from holing from just off the green. It is probably the best I have played for a few weeks now. Nice to see a bit of hard work par off.

“There’s a long way to go but I’m in a good position. It is always nice to start off with a fast start and get into contention early. You feel like you are in the tournament more.”

Harrington missed the cut in the Canon European Masters two weeks ago and decided to take last week off for a lesson with coach Bob Torrance. The Irishman responded immediately with seven birdies and just the one dropped shot. He has also changed his putter and, although it was on probation, it looks to have secured it’s place in the bag after rolling in five putts of between ten and 30 feet.

Olle Karlsson is also benefiting from some tuition from Torrance Senior have joined forces with him at the Benson and Hedges International. Frenchman Marc Farry and New Zealand’s Stephen Scahill also shot 65’s.

Meanwhile the opening day was highlighted by no fewer than three aces. Ivo Giner, Jean-Francios Remesy and Paul Affleck all had a hole-in-one, the first time three holes-in-one have been recorded in a single round since the 1996 Madeira Island Open. Unfortunately none of them managed the feat on the 16th where a £20,000 heart-shaped diamond was on offer.

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