David Law 'really pleased' as late burst secures promising start in Denmark

David Law has had fellow Scot David Drysdale scratching his head in recent months, having watched the Aberdonian play out of his skin to win £20 in their weekly practice round on the European Tour but then being unable to take that form into an event.

David Law plays his third shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort in Aalborg, Denmark. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Law, in fact, has missed six cuts in a row and eight out of 10 this season, with no-one being more frustrated by that disappointing run of results than the recently-turned 30-year-old, who made his breakthrough on the circuit in the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open.

“My golf recently has been... I’ve been playing decent but not scoring well at all,” admitted Law, speaking after handing himself a timely confidence boost in the opening round of the Made in HimmerLand event in Denmark.

In tougher morning conditions at the Farso venue, the two-time Scottish Amateur champion was one-over after 13 holes before transforming his day with an eagle and two birdies over the closing stretch.

The late burst saw him sign for a 68 to sit in the top 10, just two shots off a five-way tie for the lead that includes Richard Bland in his first outing since landing his breakthrough win at the 478th attempt in the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry.

“To go out in tough conditions today and shoot three-under, I was really pleased,” added Law, who made his eagle at the fifth - his 14th - by taking a 3-wood off the tee then hitting a 7-iron to a foot before adding birdies at the seventh and eighth.

“That was nice as I’d just gone to one-over after taking a bogey at the third. I was just looking to get it under par for the day at that point, but making eagle changed my mindset. To shoot three-under after being one-over after 13 holes was good.”

In between the British Masters and this event, Law teed up in a Tartan Pro Tour event at Pollok, firing a 10-under-par 61 in the second round to finish third. That, coupled with liking this week’s course, made him feel quietly confident coming into the event.

“I think it suits me a little better than some others we’ve played recently,” admitted Law, who was joined in breaking par by Bob MacIntyre as the runner-up at the same venue two years ago signed for a 69 that contained five birdies.

“My golf wasn’t particularly good, made too many silly mistakes, dropped shots with wedges in my hand,” said MacIntyre. “Two-under’s not a bad score, but the main thing today was that I set myself a goal to not get annoyed with anything that went on and Mike [Thomson, his caddie] said to me when we walked off, ‘good attitude today’.”

Taking up where he left off at The Belfry, Bland carded an eagle and four birdies to set the pace along with 2019 winner Bernd Wiesberger, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, Finn Lauri Ruuska and Korea’s Yikuen Chang.

"I was just happy to get back out playing,” said Bland, who was showered with a chorus of praise - newly-crowned PGA champion Phil Mickelson added his voice on Wednesday - after finally making the big breakthrough at the age of 48. “I just tried to carry on where I left off and managed to do that.”

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