Kearney leads the Dutch Open

Niall Kearney birdied three of his last four holes to edge into a one shot lead after day one of the 2021 Dutch Open.

The Irishman took a three week break after finishing in the top 30 at the D+D Real Czech Masters but showed no signs of rust as a bogey-free 65 moved him to seven under at Bernardus Golf.
German Maximilian Kieffer and Dane Martin Simonsen were then at six under, with a group of nine players two shots off the lead.
Kearney does not have full playing privileges on the European Tour but has been making his mark, recording his first two top tens and carding a 61 en route to one of them at the Canary Islands Championship.
"This year has been positive for me. I have had a lot of good finishes and put myself in the right spaces and I have grown in confidence from it. I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable which is great," said Kearney.

He also led the way into the weekend at the BMW International Open and is feeling confident in his surroundings as he battles to earn a card over the closing weeks of the season from 128th in the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex.
Belgian Thomas Detry came home in 30 to sit in the group at five under alongside Canada's Aaron Cockerill, Welshman Rhys Enoch, England's Ben Evans and Sam Horsfield, Dane Marcus Helligkilde, Spaniard Santiago Tarrio and Scot Euan Walker.