Macaulay goes on the attack at Roma Open

Callum Macaulay’s pre-tournament vow to attack at all costs saw the Scot make a fine start to his bid to finish in the top three of the Roma Golf Open as he seeks to guarantee a place in the European Challenge Tour’s season-ending Grand Final.

An opening round of five-under-par 66 at the penultimate event of the season took the 27 year old into a share of third place after round one, alongside Portugal’s José Filipe Lima, England’s Sam Little and Frenchman Victor Riu.

Macaulay’s countryman Raymond Russell shares seventh place after a four under 67, while Frenchman, Anthony Grenier, leads the way on eight under with Spain’s Borja Etchart a further shot back.

Macaulay made the perfect start by holing his second shot to his first hole of the day – the par-4 tenth – for a brilliant eagle 2.

Macaulay is currently 61st in the Challenge Tour Rankings and needs to earn at least €10,000 this week to burst into the all-important top 45 who will then move forward to the Grand Final in search of one of the 20 available European Tour cards on offer through the final rankings. “Well I said I was going to attack and I couldn’t do anything but burst out laughing when I holed my second shot on the first hole of the day,” said Macaulay. “I had 104 yards to the hole and just hit a nice 56 degree wedge that bounced about six inches out and went straight in.

“It was a great start but then flirted with a couple of silly bogeys after that but then the back nine was as well as I have played all year. I’m delighted – if you had offered me five under at the start of the round I would have taken it.”

Of the five other Scots in the field, only Elliott Saltman is struggling to survive the halfway cut after an opening 76. Chris Doak (-1), Jamie McLeary (-1), Craig Lee (level) and Gavin Dear (level) remain very much in the hunt after round one.