Romain Langasque had himself a day on Thursday.
The Frenchman opened the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in stunning fashion on St. Andrews Old Course. Thanks to eight birdies and two eagles, Langasque tied the scoring record at the famed links and took the early lead in the annual DP World Tour event.
“I never thought I would have the course record at St. Andrews,” said Langasque, the No. 272-ranked player in the world. “But now my name is on the board.”
He shares the feat with Englishman Ross Fisher who posted a 61 in 2015 in the final round of the Alfred Dunhill.
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Langasque’s round not only tied the Old Course scoring record, but it also marks his career-low round on the DP World Tour. His previous low round had been 63 back in 2020.
The dazzling performance included six birdies and an eagle on his second nine (the front nine) as he posted 28 on his inward half. He was also seven under over his final six holes.
“The end of the course was amazing,” he said. “I holed a few long putts. The game was great but didn’t feel I shot 11 under.”
Langasque might not have felt like he had gone that low, but the rest of the field surely did. Just 10 players are within four strokes of Langasque’s lead as he turns the page to Round 2.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “I didn’t realize that I have the course record here now, and I think it’s something I will remember for rest of my life.”
More scores like Langasque’s seem unlikely over the weekend. St. Andrews is slated to get pummeled by heavy rain and winds in excess of 40 mph on Friday.
In an effort to dodge the worst of the weather, tournament organizers have opted for a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. local time.
Langasque made history but he knows he still has long way to go.
“I’m really happy about this,” he said. “But it’s only the first round, so I’m also going to stay really focused for the next few days.”