DP World Tour: Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari shares lead at BMW International Open
Play was suspended shortly before 7pm local time (6pm BST) due to the threat of lightning, with 27 players yet to complete their first rounds; Edoardo Molinari, Adrien Saddier and Rikuya Hoshino share early lead; watch day two live on Friday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
Last Updated: 22/06/23 7:55pm
Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari grabbed a share of the lead before the opening round of the BMW International Open was suspended due to lightning in Munich.
Molinari recovered from an opening-hole bogey to post a six-under 66 at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, firing eight birdies on his way to topping the leaderboard alongside France's Adrien Saddier and Japan's Rikuya Hoshino.
The Italian followed back-to-back gains from the 12th by birdieing the 18th and making four more in a five-hole stretch from the second, then cancelled out a bogey at the eighth by picking up a shot on his final hole of the day.
"I think it's a very good opening round," Molinari said. "I'm a little bit disappointed to be honest because I hit the ball fantastic tee-to-green, but putting, again, wasn't good at all. You can't complain with a six under so I'll take it, move on and try to improve the putting.
Saddier and Hoshino birdied each of their last three holes to get to six under, with Daan Huizing one off the pace and playing his final hole of the day when play was halted due to lightning.
Home favourites Max Kieffer, Marc Hammer and Thomas Rosenmueller also sit in tied-fourth alongside Matthieu Pavon and Romain Langasque, who made a tap-in eagle at the par-four 16th after driving the green.
Adrian Meronk - the highest-ranked player in the field - is in the group two strokes back that contains Scotland's Scott Jamieson and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin, who won his maiden DP World Tour title in the Porsche European Open earlier this month.
Daniel Hillier is also on four under with three holes to complete, with 27 players unable to finish before play was suspended for the day just before 7pm local time (6pm BST).
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Pablo Larrazabal opened with a three-under 69 and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald bounced back from two bogeys in his first four holes to card an opening-round 70, while Robert MacIntyre birdied four of his last eight holes to salvage a level-par 72.
Ryder Cup hopeful Yannik Paul, who currently occupies one of the automatic qualifying places for Team Europe, was forced to withdraw before the start of play with a back injury.
Watch the BMW International Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from midday on Sky Sports Golf.