Wil Besseling turned the fairways into his stage at the Italian Challenge Open, dazzling spectators and competitors alike at the scenic Argentario Golf Club.
With a remarkable eight-under-par 63, he didn’t just play; he put on a show, seizing a one-stroke lead as the curtains closed on day one.
No bogeys on the card, just pure, exhilarating golf that left him a notch above England’s Sam Hutsby.
Kicking off his round on the back nine, Besseling sparked his brilliant performance with a birdie right out of the gate, then rattled off four straight from the 14th.
He wasn’t done yet, as he kept the birdie train rolling at the second, third, and seventh holes.
It’s clear he found a rhythm early and danced his way through the course with precision and flair.
Reflecting on his performance, Besseling shared, “It’s a great start. It’s the first time we’ve played this course and starting with a 63 is great.
I hit the ball well and I hit it straight, and I’ve been putting well so it was an enjoyable day.
Finding the fairway off the tee is important with the greens not being that big, and I was able to do that. It looked like a big hole today which was good, so I felt confident on the greens and I played solid coming back in, so I’m very pleased.”
Currently sitting at 39th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, Besseling is gunning for a promotion to the DP World Tour, aiming to bounce back stronger after a tough previous season.
“I’ve been playing steadily, but not shooting scores like today, so I’m happy that I’ve finally got a good score in,” he commented further.
“Bogey-free is always good, but then having eight birdies on the other side is even better.
I’ve had parts of rounds where I’ve done really well but there’s been too many mistakes in recent weeks.
Finishing between tenth and 30th all the time isn’t bad, but I feel like I can do better and today was a good start.”
Not far behind are the likes of South African Justin Walters, Portuguese Ricardo Santos, and Dane Hamish Brown, all tied in third place at six under.
Meanwhile, a mix of seasoned and emerging talents, including Spaniard Joel Moscatel and Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist, are keeping the competition fierce just a stroke behind.
A dramatic pause in play thanks to a thunderstorm means a packed schedule for tomorrow, with players returning early to wrap up and push forward.
The chase resumes at 8:00 AM local time, promising another round of thrilling golf action.
