Steven Mackie shares lead in PGA EuroPro Tour event

By ANTHONY LEAVER
Three players share the lead at three under par after the opening round of The Brooks Brothers 2009 Classic at Five Lakes Golf, Country Club and Spa in Essex – the 11th event of the 2009 PGA EuroPro Tour.
Andrew Shakespear (Five Lakes) began superbly with birdies at the second and third holes of his home course, and moved to four under with an eagle at the tenth – a bogey followed at the 11th to see him card a three under round of 68 on his EuroPro Tour debut.
Matthew Evans (Rotherham GC) had an eventful round, starting on the back nine with a birdie at the tenth, and going through the turn at two under par thanks to birdies at the 15th and 18th after dropping a shot at 12. He moved to three under with a fourth birdie at the second but followed that double bogey at the fifth to drop to one under. A strong finish was required and that’s exactly what the Rotherham man delivered, birdies at the seventh and ninth to finish with a 68.
Steven Mackie (Dunnikier Park GC) also started on the back nine and moved to his penultimate hole of the day at four under before a double bogey at the eighth threatened to spoil his day. Mackie brushed himself off and recorded his fifth birdie of the day at the ninth to grab a share of the lead with Shakespear and Evans.
James Mason (Rotherham GC) is one stroke behind the leaders but will feel he should at least have a share of the lead after spoiling the end of a promising opening round. Mason picked up three birdies in his opening 15 holes after starting on the back nine, but recorded back-to-back bogeys from the seventh to drop to one under – a birdie at the ninth seeing him record a round of 69.
The ninth hole was pivotal in allowing Sean Whiffin and Nicky Harris to join Mason in fourth spot after both men started on the back nine. Whiffin endured a tricky start to his round, recording two birdies and three bogeys in to go through the turn at one over par. The start of the front nine was more to his taste and he picked up three birdies from the first to move to two under but he dropped to level after bogeys at the seventh and eighth holes. He was not to be denied his place one stroke behind the leaders though and recorded an eagle three at the par-five ninth to finish an eventful round on 69.
Harris (Whitefield GC) kicked his round off with two birdies but like Whiffin found himself at one over par after nine holes with bogeys at the 12th, 17th and 18th. An eagle at the third hole put his round back on track and his birdie at the ninth saw him join Whiffin and Mason in fourth spot.
Last year’s Brooks Brothers Classic winner Matthew Ford (Marriott Tudor Park) is one of three players at one under for the tournament – Ford recording three birdies and two bogeys in his round of 70. James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City GC) carded the same tally in his opening effort, while Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) picked up three birdies on the back nine after going through the front nine two over par, a double bogey at the third the blot on his card.
It was a windy day in Essex which made conditions tough for the players, and the pressure is great with the prize money up for grabs crucial to the Order of Merit places – and the players at the top of the money list all endured disappointing first rounds. Tom Haylock (Ground Construction Ltd) moved into second spot with his victory at Formby Hall in Liverpool last week and with Order of Merit leader Scott Jamieson playing on the Challenge Tour this week the door looked open for him to take over at the top, but an opening round of 75 leaves him with plenty of work to do at four over.
Haylock was playing with pre-tournament favourite Elliot Saltman (Aegon) who currently sits in fifth place on the money list, but the 11/1 shot with Sky Bet was only able to shoot a round of 74. Daniel Brooks (Mill Hill) is in third place but went round in 77 in his first round, so after the initial exchanges it looks like fourth place man Jack Doherty (North Gailes) could be the player to watch at the top of the Order of Merit, finishing with a level par 71.
To view the full Leaderboard from The Brooks Brothers 2009 Classic at Five Lakes Golf, Country Club and Spa, visit http://www.europrotour.com/ and click on the Score Updates link on the homepage.
SCOTS' SCORES
Par 71
Joint leader – Steven Mackie 68 -3
Lee Harper 70 -1
Jack Doherty 71 Lvl
Barry Hume 73 +2
Paul Doherty 74 +3
Elliot Saltman 74 +3
Ross Cameron 75 +4
Steven Hume 75 +4
Mark Kerr 76 +5
Zack Saltman 77 +6
John Gallagher 78 +7
Chris McCalman 79 +8
Shaun McAllister 80 +9
Lorne Kelly 81 +10