Jolly Roger! And no wonder, Chapman

leads by two in Irish Seniors Open

From Steve Todd, European Senior Tour Press Officer
Roger Chapman’s seamless start to life on the European Senior Tour continued as he posted two eagles en route to an opening round 67 to lead by two strokes in the Irish Seniors Open in association with Fáilte Ireland and AIB Bank, with home favourite Des Smyth tied for second.
Chapman, who finished third on his Senior Tour debut in Mallorca last month, holed a 15ft eagle putt on the fourth and picked up birdies on the next two holes but then dropped shots on the seventh and 11th to slip back to level par.
The 50 year old Englishman recovered with back-to-back birdies on the 13th and 14th holes before a superb four iron approach to 10ft set up his second eagle of the day on the 16th to move clear on four under par.
Chapman had used the same four iron a fortnight ago when he aced the 17th hole at Canterbury Golf Club in the US Senior PGA Championship and the former European Tour winner needed similar levels of accuracy in increasingly windy conditions at Ballybunion Golf Club.
“I’m liking that four iron – it’s good at the moment,” said Chapman. “I’m hitting the ball really solidly. The wind got up on the tenth hole very quickly and made it tricky, especially on the downwind shots.
“If it is like this tomorrow the scores will go up as it was fairly benign early on. I’m very, very happy with that start. Des is a very good wind player. I remember years ago him shooting 67 in Jersey when everyone else was shooting 77 but I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.
“It is hard out there. The last seven or eight holes were really tricky.”
Having led in Mallorca going into the final round, Chapman, who spent two years as a Rules Official on the Senior Tour during a sabbatical from competition golf, admits he is relishing life back on Tour.
“I’ve really enjoyed it – I’ve had a nice start but I’ve been looking forward to this for three or four years,” he said. “Playing with all your old mates is good fun. Mallorca was just dipping my toe in the water but it’s so far so good.”
Smyth is one of five players tied for second on two under par, two strokes behind Chapman. The Irishman eagled the 13th hole and birdied the 16th to move to sign for a 69 after a double bogey on the 11th and bogey on the 12th had seen him slip back having reached the turn in 34.
Former Ryder Cup player Smyth ,who finished runner up behind Juan Quiros last year, admitted his round had been something of a rollercoaster but said he was happy with his start.
“I had five birdies and an eagle and I’m only two under par so it was a bit of a ride out there,” said the 56 year old.
“I had a few bad shots and you get penalised on this course. You saw Woosie try to get on to the 18th and if you hit it on to those side slopes you get into real trouble. It’s winder than the last few days – obviously it’s been perfect the last few days - but this is more like it.
“This wind gives you the chance to get a few birdies but if you put it in the wrong place you can make bogey or worse. This is how the course plays it best. You are always worried about hitting it in the wrong place.
“I hit a few bad shots out there but I didn’t mind making a few bogeys. I played a few nice holes.
“I play these conditions well but I wish I was feeling better about my game. There’s a lot of good parts – my pitching is good, my driving is good but my iron play gets me in trouble. That’s been happening a lot. Overall 69 is a good start. It’s always good to break 70 on this course.”
Defending champion Quiros began with a two over par 73 while Woosnam three putted the last for a double bogey 6 to sign for a 74, with fellow former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance carding a 76.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
67 R Chapman (Eng)
69 H Carbonetti (Arg), P Brostedt (Swe), D Smyth (Irl), G Ralph (Eng), A Murray (Eng)
70 N Job (Eng), D Cambridge (Jam) , A Fernandez (Chi), K Tomori (Jpn)
71 T Johnstone (Zim), S Ebihara (Jpn), G Brand (Eng)
72 J Rhodes (Eng), B Boyd (USA), B Longmuir (Sco), M Harwood (Aus), B Cameron (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg), J Bland (RSA), E Rodriguez (Esp), R Drummond (Sco), C Rocca (Ita), G Cali (Ita), J Rivero (Esp)
73 E Darcy (Irl), C Mason (Eng), J Quiros (Esp) , G Brand Jnr (Sco)
74 J Hall (Eng), I Woosnam (Wal), D Good (Aus) , P Oakley (USA) , L Higgins (Irl) , M Cunning (USA), P O'Hagan (Irl), D Hospital (Esp) , S Bennett (Eng) , P Mitchell (Eng)
75 N Ratcliffe (Aus), J Heggarty (Nir), D Merriman (Aus), D Russell (Eng)
76 J Bruner (USA) , D Johnson (USA), S Torrance (Sco), S Ginn (Aus), J Chillas (Sco), I Mosey (Eng), M Williams (Zim).
77 G Watine (Fra), T Giedeon (Ger), B Lincoln (RSA) , G Encina (Chi) , G Towne (USA) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , M Coote(am) (Irl).
78 A Garrido (Esp) , M Miller (Sco), B Smit (RSA) , A Franco (Par) , M Piñero (Esp) ,
79 P Teravainen (USA), E Polland (Nir), E Feely (Irl)
80 S Owen (Nzl), K Spurgeon (Eng), M Clayton (Aus), T Gale (Aus) , M Bembridge (Eng) , E McMenamin (am) (Irl)
81 L Macnamara (am) (Irl)
82 D Durnian (Eng), D Morris (am) (Irl)
84 A Barrera (Arg)
87 A Spring (Irl)