GAVIN DEAR HAS A 70 BUT HE'S
ONLY SHARING 17th PLACE IN
HOT START TO CHIBERTA GP

Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) was the top Scot but not the leading British player at the end of the first round in the Chiberta Grand Prix amateur international tournament at Chiberta Golf Club, Biarritz in southwest France.
Dear, pictured right, one of three players sent to the 72-hole event by the Scottish Golf Union, had a two-under-par round of 70 but so hot is the opposition in this prestigious tournament that Gavin finds himself in joint 17th place going into the second round.
A total of 34 players scored under par on the opening day.
Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) is joint 35th despite matching the par of 72 while Ross Kellett (Colville Park) is back in joint 43rd place with a 73.
A local player, Gregory Damitio is leading the field with a 65, one ahead of two more Frenchmen, Emmanual Mercadier and Ambroise Fourqet.
England's Luke Goddard is joint fourth on 67. Compatriot Miles Mackman is tied for ninth place on 69. Sam Hutsby, winner of The Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy tournament at Dundonald last September, is alongside Gordon Yates on the par 72 mark.
The four-round tournament, won last year by Duncan Stewart (Grantown-on-Spey), finishes on Sunday.

LEADERBOARD
Par 72
65 Gregory Damitio (France).
66 Emmanuel Mercadier (France), Ambroise Fourquet (France).
67 Luke Goddard (England), Jose Bondia (Spain), Roman Hamon (France), Olivier Serres (France), Kristian Nielsen (Denmark).
68 Romain Zwahlen (France), Miles Mackman (England).
69 Pierre Loumaigne (France), Jerome Lando-Casanova (France), Amaud-Pie Malinvaud (France), Thomas Faucher (France), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (Spain), Otto Bonning (Sweden).
70 Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), Erwan Vieilledent (France), Cyril Bouniol (France), Santiago Seijo Garcia (Spain), Nicklas Glans (Sweden), Arthur Gabvella-Wenne (Sweden), Eric Barnard (France), Guillaume (France).
Other scores:
72 Sam Hutsby (England), Gordon Yates (HIlton Park).
73 Ross Kellett (Colville Park).