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Dutch amateur Boysen leads with 64

Dutch amateur Niels Boysen thrilled the home galleries with a seven-under-par 64 for the first-round lead Thursday at the Dutch Open. The 27-year-old with a Masters degree in geography and economics holds a two-shot edge over Scotland's Andrew Coltart and Dean Robertson and England's Peter Baker.

Padraig Harrington of Ireland shot 67 to join a nine-way tie for fifth place at four-under, while Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and South African Ernie Els are among 14 players with 68s at minus-three.

Boysen began on the back nine at Noordwijkse Golf Club and birdied the 11th and 12th before posting his first bogey of the day at 13. He made up for the mistake with a birdie at 14, then added birdies at the 16th and 18th to make his way out in four-under 31.

The Utrecht University graduate carded back-to-back birdies to start the inward side but dropped a stroke at the par-three sixth. Birdies at his final two holes lifted Boysen into his surprising position atop the leaderboard.

"This is my 10th attempt in this tournament and I hadn’t even made one cut before," Boysen said. "Don’t ask me why I managed to do this. I have been hitting my irons much better this month and putting better as well, but seven- under par is unbelievable."

Boysen is seeking to become the first amateur to secure a victory on the European Tour since the circuit got its start in 1972.

Coltart, who captured the second title of his career at the Great North Open a month ago, is currently 10th on the European Ryder Cup points standings.

"That is the least of my concerns at the moment," said Coltart, who fell short of automatically qualifying for the 1999 Ryder Cup squad but did manage to earn one of Mark James' two captain's picks. "I am trying to win tournaments and to climb the World Ranking. If I can achieve that, the little perks such as the one under discussion come along."

Noordwijkse is hosting this event for the second straight year and the ninth time since 1978. The tournament was first played in 1919.

Defending champion Stephen Leaney of Australia finished round one knotted in 65th place after turning in an even-par 71. Leaney also won the Dutch Open at Hilversumsche Golf Club in 1998.

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