Jhared Hack fired an opening ten under par round of 62 to hold a four-stroke lead following a low-scoring first day at the Italian Challenge Open.
The American put on a flawless performance at Golf Nazionale, making ten birdies and remaining bogey-free in just his third start on the HotelPlanner Tour.
Hack earned his place in the field by finishing in a tie for second last time out at the DP World PGTI Open in India, and picked up where he left off today, despite the six-week break.
“I got off to a nice start, I think six under at the turn,” Hack said.
“I kept hitting the right spots on the greens, I hit some nice wedges, I drove it in the fairways. I just kept doing what I needed to do, and I executed it properly which was nice.
“I made a few nice putts on the back, a 20-footer and a 25-footer. It’s nice to have those, I think you need a couple of nice putts to go in in a round like this.”
Hack mixed six birdies with three pars to head out in just 30 strokes. After making the turn, the American would pick up three gains between holes 13 and 15 before birdieing the last to reach ten under for the day.
Hack has impressed on the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India this year after winning Q-School, recording a victory in the opening event of the season and registering a top ten in all of his starts. And the 36-year-old, who originates from Las Vegas, is hoping his fine form can continue to keep him on the Road to Mallorca.
“I told my caddy on the second green that someone would shoot low today and he said why not me,” he added.
“I’m going to look at this as a journey so I’m just going to go out tomorrow and try and do the same stuff I’ve been doing, try to keep present, keep my process and routine.
“It’s definitely nice to have a start like this. Hopefully I get to talk to you guys more this week.”
Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo, Austrian Matthias Schwab, Spaniard Javier Roman Calles, Frenchman Pierre Pineau and Flavio Michetti from Italy sit in a tie for second at six under par. A group of eleven players sit a shot further back, including English trio Barclay Brown, Charlie Thornton and Alfie Plant.
The second round of the Italian Challenge Open gets under way on Friday morning at 7:30am, with Hack teeing off alongside Maximilien Sturdza from Switzerland and Scotsman Will Porter at 2:45pm.
