Frenchman Alexandre Kaleka led the field at the EMC Golf Challenge Open in Rome, where the first round was suspended overnight due to darkness following delays in the morning due to excessive flooding on the course.
The two-time Challenge Tour winner did not let the difficult conditions affect his game early on as he birdied the par three second hole to set the ball rolling, before picking up a shot each at the fifth and ninth to reach the turn in three under.
A bogey at the tenth knocked back his charge but the 27 year old finished with a flourish, carding an eagle three at the 17th hole to card a four under 67 and take a one shot lead into the second day, when a number of groups will finish their first rounds before the second round’s play begins at 7:50am local time.
Three players were in the clubhouse just a shot off the pace, with winner already on the Challenge Tour this season Antonio Hortal of Spain joined in a share of second place by experienced Frenchman Julien Guerrier and promising young Portuguese Ricardo Gouveia after they all signed for three under par rounds of 68.
Another Frenchman, Edouard Espana, was three under while still out on the course, as was Englishman Jason Palmer.
Former European Tour winners, Jeppe Huldahl pf Denmark and Swede Michael Jonzon, both carded two under par rounds of 69 to lie two strokes off the summit on two under par.
