Bob MacIntyre and Thomas Detry shoot 62 in first round of Zurich Classic

Scot and Belgian card an eagle and eight birdies in PGA Tour event in New Orleans

Bob MacIntyre and Thomas Detry wasted no time showing why they were keen to join forces in a Scottish-Belgian partnership by getting off to a strong start in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana.

Helped by making an eagle at their second hole, the duo carded a ten-under-par 62 to set one-shot off the first-round lead – Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are among four pairings out in front – in the $8.9 million event on the PGA Tour.

In the opening-day fourball format, MacIntyre and Detry started at the tenth and, buoyed by that early eagle, then added birdies at the 12th and 13th to be out in 32. It was even more impressive coming home as they birdied the second, third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth.

Thomas Detry and Bob MacIntyre during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on April 25, 2024 in Avondale, Louisiana. Picture: Chris Graythen/Getty Images.

“Yeah, it was good,” said MacIntyre of the pair’s start. “Thomas was chipping in all the pro-am and, his first chip today, he's chipped it in for eagle. I've then chipped in the next for birdie, and from there it gave us a nice cushion just to press on. It gave us a bit of freedom.”

The odd eyebrow may have been raised when it emerged that MacIntyre and Detry had decided to team up with Detry, but the pair have been friends since the Oban man started out on the DP World Tour.

MacIntyre has now joined Detry as a PGA Tour card holder after being among ten players to earn that status through the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai last season.

“I live in the UK, he lives in the UK, as well, so we have a nice little connection,” said Detry. “Obviously we played so many years on the DP World Tour together and we always got along pretty well.”

This event marks MacIntyre’s return to action on the US circuit after heading home for a spell following a run of seven events in a row. Detry, meanwhile, has been churning out some eye-catching performances this season, notably a tie for second in the Texas Children’s Houston Open last month.

“I think it's about leaving each other to it,” said MacIntyre of how the pair planned to approach the second-day foursomes. “We're both good players, both know what we're doing with the golf ball. It's just trusting each other. If I hit a good shot, you hit a good shot. If you hit a bad shot, don't say sorry, you're not meaning to do it.

“You just keep walking forward and keep trying to hit good shots and committing to them and see where we end up. Can't really do anything about it. It's difficult because you might not hit a five-foot putt until the 17th hole. It's completely different. All you can do is try your best.”

After starting with four-straight birdies, Ryder Cup team-mates McIlroy and Lowry set the pace along with three all-American pairings – Ryan Brehm/Mark Hubbard, Ben Kohles/Patton Kizzire and Aaron Rai/David Lipsky.

Meanwhile, Connor Syme ended a weather-hit opening round in the DP World Tour’s ISPS Handa Championship at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course in Japan sitting one shot off the lead after carding a bogey-free four-under-par 66.

“Delighted,” said the Drumoig-based player after starting on the 10th and making four birdies in a row from the 18th. “I’ve not played in six weeks, tournament-wise anyway, so it was nice to come back. I don’t think I had a bogey today which was really pleasing so it’s a nice way to start back.”

On a day when play was suspended due to darkness after a near three-hour fog interruption in the morning, German Yannick Paul joined a trio of home players - Tomoyo Ikemura, Taisei Shimizu and Taiki Yoshida - in setting the clubhouse target with 65s.

When the first round was completed on Friday morning, they were joined by Frenchman Jeong weon Ko while Richie Ramsay and Grant Forrest both signed for 67s and ISPS Handa ambassador Ewen Ferguson opened witn a 68.