European Tour

KLM Open 2018

September 13-16

The Dutch, Spijk, Netherlands

€1,800,000

September 13-16

The Dutch, Spijk, Netherlands

€1,800,000

Round 1

Wu on top in The Netherlands

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

September 13, 2018

Ashun Wu took advantage of ideal conditions during the opening round of the KLM Open by posting a bogey-free 64 to lead by one after 18 holes.

- Getty Images

“I made a great start with five birdies over the front nine and I followed that up with two more over the back nine – and I'm very happy to have been bogey-free today."

“I was very good on the par threes today. I hit a nine iron on the 14 th to about four feet and then on the par three 16 th although I missed the green I managed to chip in for birdie."

“I feel very good from last week and I am gaining even more confidence this week.”

The Chinese player, whose last European Tour victory came in 2016 in Austria, continues his recent fine run having carded rounds of 70-65-65-70 in Switzerland last week where he finished tied sixth – his best result of 2018.

One adrift of Wu is Chris Wood who also went bogey free during the first day in Spijk, picking up six birdies to sign for a six under par 65.

“It was perfect out there this morning. The course is in such good condition and the greens are as good as any that we have played all year. When that is one of the best parts of your game it is great, especially when you get your eye in and knock a few in like I did today."

“Off the tee it is tough here. There is a little bit of room on some holes which helps me out as I'm not the straightest with the driver but there are a few drives here that you have to hit really well. That's the key for me really, if I can put the ball on the fairway then my iron play, my wedge play and my putting is good enough."

“After three weeks off Crans is not always the best place to start back as you're five minutes away from a disaster there. I played okay considering and it was good to get four rounds under my belt and I'm feeling a lot sharper this week."

“I finished in the top ten last year and I love this place so it's great to come back.”

A cluster of 13 players sit one shot further back on five under par after Day One, including Eddie Pepperell who continues to thrive at The Dutch, where he claimed a share of third place in the 2017 KLM Open.

Also in that group is American Kevin Stadler who impressed during his first appearance on the European Tour since 2014 by signing for a five under par score of 66.

“It was a beautiful morning today. It was chilly with a few light winds for the first five holes but then it was perfectly still later on."

“You have to drive well here. The rough is very nasty and you don't want to be a part of it. More than anything on your first time around here it can be a little tricky but if you find the fairways then you can score well. The greens are tricky as well but it is a good test and a good golf course."

“It has been a long time since I put a good round together and I certainly wasn't expecting a score like this so I'm very happy today. I putted well, that is normally my achilles heel, but I managed to roll in all of the putts that I should have done today.”