New Zealand golfer Sam Jones leads after the first round of the latest DP World Tour event in Belgium after a personal-best.
His nine-under 62 at the Soudal Open on Thursday (Friday NZ Time) included a first-ever albatross, along with seven birdies and just a lone bogey. It was the lowest round of the Taranaki left-hander's fledgling career.
LATEST HEADLINES:
Jones has a two-shot lead over a group of five players.
The tour rookie only turned professional two weeks before securing his card at the Qualifying School in November.
"I'm taking it as it comes," he said. "The first few months have been pretty good, golf has been average but it's been pretty good the last few weeks. I'm looking forward to getting into this European Swing."
The albatross on the 568-yard, par-five 17th made it six shots picked up in four holes and Jones revealed he would have played a lay-up had it not been for the previous three birdies.
"Initially it was going to be a three-shot, was going to lay it up," he said.
"Thought about three iron off the tee, hit three wood, pulled it a little bit but hit it nicely.
"Got up there, had 248 metres to the flag, said to my caddie Keith that it was the perfect three wood, into the breeze a little bit.
"I was going well already at that stage, so I thought if I made a bogey it was no big deal. Just hit it, flushed it, called to it to be good in the air and it was. First ever albatross, not a bad place to do it."
Fellow New Zealand Daniel Hillier shot a one-over 72 to be tied for 106th.