Bogey sees Willett miss out on Majorca record

Bourdy, a three-time winner on the European Tour and a runner-up at the Maybank Malaysian Open last month, fired nine birdies with bogeys at the 15th and seventh the only lowlights of the day for the 29-year-old at Pula GC.

Sheffield’s Danny Willett was second, with a bogey five at the 12th the only thing preventing him joining Bourdy in a share of the early lead.

Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who won the last of his 12 Tour titles in 2008, was third following a five-under-par 65.

Bourdy said: “It’s always great to hold a course record. It’s very nice on Tour to get a score like this.

“I made nine birdies, only two or three mistakes but it was a wonderful day.”

Tiger Woods walked out of the lucrative Players Championship after just nine holes at Sawgrass yesterday. Playing for the first time since suffering knee and Achilles injuries in the Masters, Woods covered the outward half in a six-over-par 42 and was in joint last place when he called it a day.