David Lynn attributed the lowest round of his professional career to his success on the greens after an opening 63 gave him a one-stroke lead in the KLM Open in Holland. Lynn started superbly with birdies on the first three holes, including a 20-foot putt on the second and a 30-foot effort on the third. He made another birdie on the seventh and, after dropping a shot at the 11th, bounced back immediately by hitting a three iron to 25ft and sinking the putt for an eagle three on the 486-yard 12th. Two more birdies came at the 15th and 18th to leave the Stoke golfer one ahead of Andrew Raitt, who eagled the par-four second, holing a 134-yard nine-iron shot, then had five birdies in his last seven holes. However, straight after his round Raitt confirmed he will quit the sport for good at the end of this season. The 34-year-old is struggling to compete after a dog bit off part of his little finger in 1995, affecting not only his grip and swing but costing him around £400,000 in legal costs. New Zealander Stephen Scahill, who began with five successive birdies, Ryder Cup hopeful Paul McGinley, Australian Richard Green and Austrian Martin Wiegele were all five under. Swedes Per Nyman and Patrik Sjoland and Scot Raymond Russell were a shot further back after 66s, while Ian Poulter, another hoping to make his Ryder Cup future clearer after this week, fellow Englishmen David Dixon and Miles Tunnicliff and Welshman David Park are three under. Lynn admitted he been working on his putting and that time on the practice green paid off yesterday. "The putter came out hot to start with," he said after taking just 24 putts in his first round. "My game has been feeling really good the last few months but my putting has not been great but it has been a bit of a reversal today. "I was working on my putting on Tuesday and my putting has dropped in and is feeling really nice, but my game does not feel as in control as it has been." Lynn is 25th on the Ryder Cup European points list and would generously be described as a long shot for the team - something he readily admits himself. "People have asked me and I've said I would have to win three tournaments - stranger things have happened," he added. "If I won this one and was to lead the BMW International (in Germany in two weeks) going into the final round I might have a thought or two." In contrast a downbeat Raitt admitted after his round: "I just don't like playing golf any more. I'll play out the Tour and then that will be it." McGinley, who is in with a chance of making the Ryder Cup, believes he has to win £200,000 in the next four tournaments to stand a chance. He almost did not come to Holland as he wanted to rest his knee - on which he had surgery earlier this year - after seven tournaments in a row, but was persuaded it would be a good idea by his manager Andrew Chandler. "It looks as if it was the right decision to come now. Sixty-five is a great score round here and I'm off to a great start," said McGinley. "It has not been a course that has been that kind to me - maybe it has got a bit of making up to do. "I made a bogey on the first because of over-aggressiveness but you have to be aggressive to shoot low numbers." Poulter was another who made a last-minute decision to come - this is his eighth successive event - in order to strengthen the grip he has on a place in the Ryder Cup team at present. Ashington's Kenneth Ferrie shot a one-under-par 71. | 
Golfing Destinations
