Lewis leads Lyoness Open by two shots over Luiten after first round

ATZENBRUGG, Austria – Tom Lewis of England shot a 9-under 63 Thursday for a two-stroke lead after the opening round of the Lyoness Open on the European Tour. 

Joost Luiten of the Netherlands shot a 65. Englishmen Graeme Storm, Richard McEvoy and Simon Dyson and Frenchman Alexander Levy each shot a 66. 

Lewis had nine birdies, including three straight on his front nine, and earned two more strokes on his final two holes. 

"I had some good fortune around the 17th and 18th," said Lewis, who started on the 10th. "That made the back nine more relaxed. I holed a lot of putts, which was really the only difference between today and the rest of the year." 

Luiten started with five birdies on his first six holes, but bogeyed the par-5 13th. 

"I was 4 under after four and that keeps the round going," said Luiten, who finished third at the Austrian event two years ago. 

Storm and Levy both made three straight birdies on the front nine and seven total, but bogeyed the par-4 last hole. 

Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain had four birdies in his first seven holes to finish four shots behind the leader. 

Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger had a 68. The 61st-ranked Austrian is aiming for a top-10 finish to qualify for the U.S. Open next week. 

"I have to be satisfied with this result," said Wiesberger, who had a bogey on his first hole. "My first hit was poor, but I knew the tournament would last for about another 270 strokes. Nothing is lost yet." 

Jose Manuel Lara of Spain, the 2010 champion, had a triple bogey and a double bogey on the first and second hole to finish 8 over.