Jean Hugo Takes Two-Shot Lead at Reignwood Legends Championship

• Jean Hugo shot a bogey-free 65 to take Reignwood Legends Championship lead.
• Felipe Aguilar, Phillip Archer, Mark Brown and Maarten Lafeber share second place on 5-under.
• Order of Merit leader Stephen Gallacher opened with a 68.

Jean Hugo took a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Reignwood Legends Championship on Friday, posting a bogey-free 7-under 65 at Reignwood Pine Valley in Beijing, China.

The South African made the most of calmer morning conditions, eagling the par-5 2nd and birdieing the 3rd on his way to reaching the turn in 5-under. Two further birdies on the back nine, including one at the 18th, established the clubhouse target.

Hugo had approached the opening round with rather more modest expectations.

“It’s quite a tough course and we had quite a bit of wind in the practice round, so we were thinking something around 70 is a good score every day,” he said.

“I surprised myself, but I think I executed everything quite nicely.”

Hugo’s putting also delivered important par saves to keep his card clean.

“Strong off the tee is probably the key around here,” he said. “You just have to manage your expectations. There are a lot of tricky pins and the greens are quite firm and quick, so sometimes be conservative and the rest of the time you can be strong off the tee.”

Low round of the day 🔥

Jean Hugo flies out of the blocks with a bogey-free seven-under-par 65, carding an eagle and five birdies to set the pace at Reignwood Pine Valley.#StaysureLegendsTour #ReignwoodLegendsChampionship pic.twitter.com/Wf7gEkR8Nz

— Legends Tour (@euLegendsTour) October 2, 2026

Four players share second

Felipe Aguilar, Phillip Archer, Mark Brown and Maarten Lafeber all returned 5-under 67s to sit two shots behind Hugo heading into Saturday.

Aguilar recovered from a slow start by playing his final eight holes in 5-under, producing one of the strongest finishes of the day.

“I made a great putt, probably 25 or 30 feet on 11, and then another 15 feet around 12,” said the Chilean. “When you break that ice, everything becomes a little bit easier.”

Archer birdied the first two holes and made eagle from about six feet at the par-5 13th. A double-bogey at the 17th checked his progress, but the Englishman responded with a bunker shot to about two feet at the last and holed for birdie.

“I think there was a little bit of fatigue and the swing just lost it towards the end,” he said.

Brown’s round contained eight birdies and three bogeys. Lafeber’s 67 included an eagle at the 13th, four birdies and a bogey at the 5th.

Gallacher three shots back

Stephen Gallacher, leader of the Road to Cambodia Order of Merit, joined David Drysdale and Matthew Cort on 4-under after rounds of 68.

Joakim Haeggman’s early challenge was halted by later bogeys, leaving the Swede on 3-under following a 69. James Kingston, Adilson da Silva and Peter Baker finished alongside him.

Søren Hansen opened with a 2-under 70 as he continued his return to tournament golf.

“Obviously, I haven’t played tournament golf for ten years, so this is my first year playing the Legends,” said Hansen. “I’m getting signs of really good play.”

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