Thongchai opens with a 70

Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee opened his campaign at the Alstom Open de France by carding a one-under-par 70 to take a share of 15^th place on Thursday.

The Black Mountain sponsored player got off strongly in his opening front-nine by marking his card with birdies on holes three, five, six and seven. However, the Thai, who has already won twice on European soil, could not keep up his momentum in his back-nine and would drop three shots on 11, 13 and 18 to head into the second round, six shots back of American leader Kevin Stadler.

Over at the Aegean Airlines Challenge Tour in Germany, Sweden’s Pelle Edberg will have to make up grounds to keep his hopes of staying for the weekend rounds alive after he signed for a 73 to take tied 80^th place at the Challenge Tour event.

Germany’s Alex Cejka meanwhile mixed his card with four birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey to share 50^th place at the Nova Scotia Open in Canada.

The German veteran, who is currently in third place on the web.com money list, trails Mexico’s Jose de Jesus Rodriquez by eight shots.