Liam Johnston leads Portugal Masters with career-low 61
The sun was shining upon the Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course Thursday for the opening round of the European Tour’s Portugal Masters in Vilamoura. Liam Johnston shined just as brightly.
The 27-year-old Scotsman carded a career-best 61, finishing 10 under on the day. Johnston came within two strokes of matching Oliver Fisher’s groundbreaking round of 59, which he achieved in 2018 during the second round of this very tournament.
After missing a 30-foot eagle putt at the par-5 17th, Johnston would have needed an eagle at the final hole to match Fisher’s European Tour record. Although he fell short of doing so, the former Scottish Stroke Play champion wrapped up his excellent day with a par on 18th, demolishing his previous European Tour best of 67 at last year’s Czech Masters. Fisher, meanwhile, was unable to recapture the magic of two years ago as he sits T-66 with an even-par 71.
“I told my coach (James Erskine, the PGA pro at Dumfries & County) back home that I was swinging it as good as I have,” Johnston said in an interview with The Scotsman. “My game feels as it is really trending in the right direction and, more importantly, I have really improved mentally.”
LEADERBOARD: Portugal Masters
Johnston finished the first round with a one-shot lead on Julien Guerrier and his 9-under 62. The 35-year old Frenchman impressed in his own right with nine birdies, including on four of the last five holes. England’s Laurie Canter shot 64 to grab third and Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell finished fourth with 65.
Four more players currently find themselves in a tie for fifth: Thorbjørn Olesen (Denmark), Goerge Coetzee (South Africa), Matthew Jordan (England) and Sebastian Soderberg (Sweden), all of whom shot 66. Tommy Fleetwood, the highest-ranked golfer in the field, finds himself tied for 21st with a 3 under 68, seven shots back of the lead.
The Portugal Masters will resume early Friday at 2:35 a.m. ET. Johnston will begin his attempt to maintain the lead at 9:50 a.m. as he tees off with a pair of Swedes, Kristoffer Broberg and Anton Karlsson.
