Thursday marked an exciting start to the 2024 Volvo China Open as the first round was played at Hidden Grace Golf Club in Shenzhen. The 156-player field took advantage of favorable conditions and posted impressive scores throughout the morning and afternoon rounds. Despite the forecast rain, the weather cooperated all day, creating an enjoyable and exciting environment for both players and fans alike.
The field took on the course with confidence, as 92 players finished the day under par. Romain Langasque and Sebastian Söderberg led the field, sharing the lead with scores of nine under par. Local favorite Li Haotong scored eight under, solely securing the third position. Julien Guerrier, Guido Migliozzi and Gordan Brixi tied for fourth place with scores of seven under par.
In the morning round, France’s Romain Langasque quickly emerged as the frontrunner. He delivered a remarkable performance, shooting nine under par including a stretch of seven birdies in a row. Langasque, having previously competed at Hidden Grace, leveraged his familiarity with the course to boost his confidence. Reflecting on his past experience, he shared, “Last time we played here, I finished fifth, so I do have a positive history with this course. I appreciate how it requires a certain style of play. To be honest, I didn’t expect to shoot nine-under during the practice round, but my iron game was on point today. I created many opportunities and my putting was also working well.”