English men's open mid-amateur championship report, scores
Morris steals a march to lead Logan Trophy by two
FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
While most eyes were on the eight former champions in action on the opening day of the Logan Trophy at Sherwood Forest, debutant David Morris stole a march by snatching the lead with a superb two-under-par 68 in this the English men's open mid-amateur championship.
It leaves the Collingtree Park man two strokes clear of former champion Stephen East and three clear of the chasing pack with five players on 71 and many more facing a fight tomorrow to beat the 36-hole cut.
Morris, now 35 and eligible to play in the Mid Amateur Championship for the first time, was out in 33 with three birdies. He gave two of them back with bogeys at 14 and 15 before grabbing his fourth birdie at the 17th.
“My long game was really good and I holed a lot of good putts,” said Morris. “It’s my first time in the Logan and at Sherwood Forest and the course is set up brilliantly. It would be fantastic to win this title as I’ve never won a major championship. I’ve finished runner-up in my county championship, second in the Midland Closed last year and second in the Northampton Order of Merit. I’m delighted with 68 but there’s still a long way to go.”
Morris was a regular in the Northamptonshire team for around ten years but he quit the scene when his family came along. However, after seven years away, he is back and underlining he is a real contender. His previous experience of EGU competition isn’t one he cares to recall. He had to retire from last year’s English Amateur at Rye with sciatic nerve trouble but, with his wife Tracy acting as caddie today, there were no visible nerves.
East, from Yorkshire, was in the last game out and stood at two under par on the 14th tee. But he missed a short putt there and dropped another shot on 17 for a level par 70.
Among those on 71 is England international John Kemp, who might have been closer to Morris after covering the front nine in 32 with four birdies. But he struggled coming home, dropping four shots in three holes from the 14th.
“I’m disappointed with 71 but I know what this course is all about and you must make your score on the front nine,” he said. “My round wasn’t pretty. I made some silly mistakes which cost me. I got a bit down on myself but I’m not playing a lot because my packaging business is doing well and I don’t get the time.”
Kemp’s John O’Gaunt clubmate Mark Wharton, who lost a play-off for the European Mid Amateur title recently, also signed for 71, a round which he described as: “Could have, should have.” He had three birdies but a fourth bogey at the 17th meant he just failed to match par.
Roger Roper from Yorkshire, another former England cap, is also on 71, a score that contained an eagle-three at the fifth, thanks to a three-iron, four-iron and ten foot putt.
“I played nicely going out but struggled on the back nine where I hit a few poor iron shots,” he said. “But I had a few scrambles for par and made a good save at 18 after missing the green.”
Another with 71 is Andrew Wiltshire from Pontefract, who was in the first match out at 7.30am. “That was the worst score I could have had,” he declared. “I hit one bad tee shot and one bad wedge. Otherwise I hit 15 greens so I’m really pleased for my first time in the Logan.”
East apart, it wasn’t a great day for the majority of the eight former champions in the field. Although Nigel Chesters from Shropshire, who dropped five shots in the last five holes, and Nottinghamshire’s Charlie Banks returned 74, Martin Young from Hampshire shot 75, defending champion John Longcake 77 while Robert Godley from Lancashire, Leicestershire’s Steve Sansome and Paul Griffiths from Staffordshire all went round in 80.
Play starts at 7.30 each day and admission is free. For those unable to attend, live scoring and news updates are available on the Championships section of EGU website http://www.englishgolfunion.org/.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70
1st David Morris Collingtree Park 68
2nd Stephen East Moortown 70
3rd Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (France) 71
3rd Mark Wharton John O'Gaunt 71
3rd John Kemp John O'Gaunt 71
3rd Andrew Inglis Sunningdale Artisans 71 71 +1
3rd Andrew Wiltshire Pontefract 71
3rd Roger Roper Leeds 71
9th Jamie Miller Fulford 72
9th Paul Telfer Stoneham 72
9th Bruce Hilsdon Littlestone 72
9th D Holmes Langley Park 72
13th Simon Stephens Moortown 73
13th Nicky Bell Carlisle 73
13th Kevin Reilly Southport and Ainsdale 73
13th Robert Bardsley Denton 73
13th Richard Sadler Moseley 73
18th Scott Ritchie New Zealand 74
18th Nigel L Chesters Hawkstone Park 74
18th S M Santon Moortown 74
18th Mark Nolan Hallowes74
18th Paul Burr South Beds 74
18th Graham Forrest Northumberland 74
18th Stephen Brennan Wheatley 74
18th C A Banks Stanton-on-the-Wolds 74
26th Paul Williams Hillside 75
26th Paul Dolton Frilford Heath 75
26th Phil Sewell Castle Royle 75
26th Karl Smith Handsworth 75
26th C Gray Pannal 75
26th Gareth Bradley Bramhall 75
26th Stephen Creed Maxstoke Park 75
26th Christopher Audin Tiverton 75
26th Martin Young Brokenhurst Manor 75
26th R Heyes Girton Golf Club 75
36th Nicholas Jelley Cosby 76
36th Christopher Aukett Crondon Park 76
36th Ian Clarke Sickleholme 76
36th Jonathan Hems Kings Norton 76
36th Michael Wharton-Palmer USA 76 7
36th Ewen Wilson Porters Park 76
36th James Crampton Spalding 76
36th Danny Curtis Knole Park 76
36th Simon Toplis College Pines 76
36th Karl Bowker Harwood 76
36th Anthony Wain Sherwood Forest 76
36th David Brown Sherwood Forest 76
36th David Westwood Handsworth 76
36th Paul Garey Kings Norton 76
36th Ben Bainbridge Sherwood Forest 76
36th Robert Treweek Moortown 76
36th S Johnson Morpeth 76
53rd Graham McLean Meltham 77
53rd Geoff Ascroft The Shropshire 77
53rd Tim Harvey Bridgnorth 77
53rd S Hallam Tadmarton Heath 77
53rd Neil Self Stand 77
53rd Glyn Hughes Church Stretton 77
53rd Tim Gilbert Knole Park 77
53rd Dan Dring Sundridge Park 77
53rd Jean-Charles Gouvernaire (France) 77
53rd Mark Bentley Ganton 77
53rd John Longcake Silloth on Solway 77
53rd Tim Seaton Grimsby 77
65th Phil Meadows Betchworth Park 78
65th Mark Sheridan Greystones, Ireland 78
65th Graham Ruth Tavistock 78
65th Scott Ledbury Sandwell Park 78
65th R A Latham Woodhall Spa 78
65th Christopher Lowe Tadmarton Heath 78
71st Lee Pargeter Fulford 79
71st S Needham Sickleholme 79
71st John Pugh Moseley 79
71st Phil Taylor Bridgnorth 79
75th Paul Griffiths Sandwell Park 80
75th Phillip Dyke Bromsgrove Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Alexander Stewart Berkhamsted Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th A D Carman Coventry Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Ian Kearney West Lancashire Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th N Fosker Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Neil Willson John O'Gaunt Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th David Hayns Gog Magog Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Marek Sulc Czech Republic 80 80 +10
75th Robert Godley Hillside Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Bruce Mcquade Royal Norwich Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Andy Theo Willingdon Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Steve Sansome Birstall Golf Club 80 80 +10
88th Phillip Shurmer Worcestershire Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Paul Mcgarry Bridgnorth Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Adrian Firman Peterborough Milton Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th David Marshall Worcestershire Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Tony Lord Northamptonshire County Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Mark Franklin Whitehaven Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Andy Savage Ipswich Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th M S Caister Kedleston Park Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Roger Butler Wellingborough Golf Club 81 81 +11
97th Neil Meadows Ipswich Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Neil Stirling Harwood Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Steve Yorke Shirehampton Park Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Dylan Rees Ashburnham Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th R B Smithies Manchester Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Derek Mcjannet Coxmoor Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Andrew Oates Kedleston Park Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Glenn Sherwood Castle Royle Golf and Country Club 82 82 +12
97th Mark Wootten Willingdon Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th J Kinnear Manchester Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Kevin Smale Purley Downs Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th A David Lawrence Wheatley Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Chris Dixon The Shire London Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Paul Dodd Mill Hill Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th James Bainbridge Sherwood Forest Golf Club 82 82 +12
112th Craig Scott Hallamshire Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Kevin Davies Sherwood Forest Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Davie Bolton Goring & Streatley Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Neil Connolly Northamptonshire County Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Colin Johnson Hainault Forest Golf Club 83 83 +13
117th Alan Mcbride Bedlingtonshire Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th Jason Saunders Windlesham Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th Martin Cooper Mitcham Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th James Brosnan Sundridge Park Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th David Richardson Sherwood Forest Golf Club 84 84 +14
122nd Stephen Dines Lincoln Golf Club 85 85 +15
122nd Mark Stanton Chipping Norton Golf Club 85 85 +15
122nd Laurence D Hopper Stoneham Golf Club 85 85 +15
125th Jez Binch Teignmouth Golf Club 86 86 +16
126th Dion Keyser Blakes Golf Club 88 88 +18
127th Tim Christmas Chart Hills Golf Club 89 89 +19
128th Stefan Priest Hallowes Golf Club NR
129th Paul Maunder West Middlesex Golf Club NR
FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
While most eyes were on the eight former champions in action on the opening day of the Logan Trophy at Sherwood Forest, debutant David Morris stole a march by snatching the lead with a superb two-under-par 68 in this the English men's open mid-amateur championship.
It leaves the Collingtree Park man two strokes clear of former champion Stephen East and three clear of the chasing pack with five players on 71 and many more facing a fight tomorrow to beat the 36-hole cut.
Morris, now 35 and eligible to play in the Mid Amateur Championship for the first time, was out in 33 with three birdies. He gave two of them back with bogeys at 14 and 15 before grabbing his fourth birdie at the 17th.
“My long game was really good and I holed a lot of good putts,” said Morris. “It’s my first time in the Logan and at Sherwood Forest and the course is set up brilliantly. It would be fantastic to win this title as I’ve never won a major championship. I’ve finished runner-up in my county championship, second in the Midland Closed last year and second in the Northampton Order of Merit. I’m delighted with 68 but there’s still a long way to go.”
Morris was a regular in the Northamptonshire team for around ten years but he quit the scene when his family came along. However, after seven years away, he is back and underlining he is a real contender. His previous experience of EGU competition isn’t one he cares to recall. He had to retire from last year’s English Amateur at Rye with sciatic nerve trouble but, with his wife Tracy acting as caddie today, there were no visible nerves.
East, from Yorkshire, was in the last game out and stood at two under par on the 14th tee. But he missed a short putt there and dropped another shot on 17 for a level par 70.
Among those on 71 is England international John Kemp, who might have been closer to Morris after covering the front nine in 32 with four birdies. But he struggled coming home, dropping four shots in three holes from the 14th.
“I’m disappointed with 71 but I know what this course is all about and you must make your score on the front nine,” he said. “My round wasn’t pretty. I made some silly mistakes which cost me. I got a bit down on myself but I’m not playing a lot because my packaging business is doing well and I don’t get the time.”
Kemp’s John O’Gaunt clubmate Mark Wharton, who lost a play-off for the European Mid Amateur title recently, also signed for 71, a round which he described as: “Could have, should have.” He had three birdies but a fourth bogey at the 17th meant he just failed to match par.
Roger Roper from Yorkshire, another former England cap, is also on 71, a score that contained an eagle-three at the fifth, thanks to a three-iron, four-iron and ten foot putt.
“I played nicely going out but struggled on the back nine where I hit a few poor iron shots,” he said. “But I had a few scrambles for par and made a good save at 18 after missing the green.”
Another with 71 is Andrew Wiltshire from Pontefract, who was in the first match out at 7.30am. “That was the worst score I could have had,” he declared. “I hit one bad tee shot and one bad wedge. Otherwise I hit 15 greens so I’m really pleased for my first time in the Logan.”
East apart, it wasn’t a great day for the majority of the eight former champions in the field. Although Nigel Chesters from Shropshire, who dropped five shots in the last five holes, and Nottinghamshire’s Charlie Banks returned 74, Martin Young from Hampshire shot 75, defending champion John Longcake 77 while Robert Godley from Lancashire, Leicestershire’s Steve Sansome and Paul Griffiths from Staffordshire all went round in 80.
Play starts at 7.30 each day and admission is free. For those unable to attend, live scoring and news updates are available on the Championships section of EGU website http://www.englishgolfunion.org/.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 70
1st David Morris Collingtree Park 68
2nd Stephen East Moortown 70
3rd Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (France) 71
3rd Mark Wharton John O'Gaunt 71
3rd John Kemp John O'Gaunt 71
3rd Andrew Inglis Sunningdale Artisans 71 71 +1
3rd Andrew Wiltshire Pontefract 71
3rd Roger Roper Leeds 71
9th Jamie Miller Fulford 72
9th Paul Telfer Stoneham 72
9th Bruce Hilsdon Littlestone 72
9th D Holmes Langley Park 72
13th Simon Stephens Moortown 73
13th Nicky Bell Carlisle 73
13th Kevin Reilly Southport and Ainsdale 73
13th Robert Bardsley Denton 73
13th Richard Sadler Moseley 73
18th Scott Ritchie New Zealand 74
18th Nigel L Chesters Hawkstone Park 74
18th S M Santon Moortown 74
18th Mark Nolan Hallowes74
18th Paul Burr South Beds 74
18th Graham Forrest Northumberland 74
18th Stephen Brennan Wheatley 74
18th C A Banks Stanton-on-the-Wolds 74
26th Paul Williams Hillside 75
26th Paul Dolton Frilford Heath 75
26th Phil Sewell Castle Royle 75
26th Karl Smith Handsworth 75
26th C Gray Pannal 75
26th Gareth Bradley Bramhall 75
26th Stephen Creed Maxstoke Park 75
26th Christopher Audin Tiverton 75
26th Martin Young Brokenhurst Manor 75
26th R Heyes Girton Golf Club 75
36th Nicholas Jelley Cosby 76
36th Christopher Aukett Crondon Park 76
36th Ian Clarke Sickleholme 76
36th Jonathan Hems Kings Norton 76
36th Michael Wharton-Palmer USA 76 7
36th Ewen Wilson Porters Park 76
36th James Crampton Spalding 76
36th Danny Curtis Knole Park 76
36th Simon Toplis College Pines 76
36th Karl Bowker Harwood 76
36th Anthony Wain Sherwood Forest 76
36th David Brown Sherwood Forest 76
36th David Westwood Handsworth 76
36th Paul Garey Kings Norton 76
36th Ben Bainbridge Sherwood Forest 76
36th Robert Treweek Moortown 76
36th S Johnson Morpeth 76
53rd Graham McLean Meltham 77
53rd Geoff Ascroft The Shropshire 77
53rd Tim Harvey Bridgnorth 77
53rd S Hallam Tadmarton Heath 77
53rd Neil Self Stand 77
53rd Glyn Hughes Church Stretton 77
53rd Tim Gilbert Knole Park 77
53rd Dan Dring Sundridge Park 77
53rd Jean-Charles Gouvernaire (France) 77
53rd Mark Bentley Ganton 77
53rd John Longcake Silloth on Solway 77
53rd Tim Seaton Grimsby 77
65th Phil Meadows Betchworth Park 78
65th Mark Sheridan Greystones, Ireland 78
65th Graham Ruth Tavistock 78
65th Scott Ledbury Sandwell Park 78
65th R A Latham Woodhall Spa 78
65th Christopher Lowe Tadmarton Heath 78
71st Lee Pargeter Fulford 79
71st S Needham Sickleholme 79
71st John Pugh Moseley 79
71st Phil Taylor Bridgnorth 79
75th Paul Griffiths Sandwell Park 80
75th Phillip Dyke Bromsgrove Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Alexander Stewart Berkhamsted Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th A D Carman Coventry Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Ian Kearney West Lancashire Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th N Fosker Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Neil Willson John O'Gaunt Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th David Hayns Gog Magog Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Marek Sulc Czech Republic 80 80 +10
75th Robert Godley Hillside Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Bruce Mcquade Royal Norwich Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Andy Theo Willingdon Golf Club 80 80 +10
75th Steve Sansome Birstall Golf Club 80 80 +10
88th Phillip Shurmer Worcestershire Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Paul Mcgarry Bridgnorth Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Adrian Firman Peterborough Milton Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th David Marshall Worcestershire Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Tony Lord Northamptonshire County Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Mark Franklin Whitehaven Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Andy Savage Ipswich Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th M S Caister Kedleston Park Golf Club 81 81 +11
88th Roger Butler Wellingborough Golf Club 81 81 +11
97th Neil Meadows Ipswich Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Neil Stirling Harwood Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Steve Yorke Shirehampton Park Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Dylan Rees Ashburnham Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th R B Smithies Manchester Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Derek Mcjannet Coxmoor Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Andrew Oates Kedleston Park Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Glenn Sherwood Castle Royle Golf and Country Club 82 82 +12
97th Mark Wootten Willingdon Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th J Kinnear Manchester Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Kevin Smale Purley Downs Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th A David Lawrence Wheatley Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Chris Dixon The Shire London Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th Paul Dodd Mill Hill Golf Club 82 82 +12
97th James Bainbridge Sherwood Forest Golf Club 82 82 +12
112th Craig Scott Hallamshire Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Kevin Davies Sherwood Forest Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Davie Bolton Goring & Streatley Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Neil Connolly Northamptonshire County Golf Club 83 83 +13
112th Colin Johnson Hainault Forest Golf Club 83 83 +13
117th Alan Mcbride Bedlingtonshire Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th Jason Saunders Windlesham Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th Martin Cooper Mitcham Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th James Brosnan Sundridge Park Golf Club 84 84 +14
117th David Richardson Sherwood Forest Golf Club 84 84 +14
122nd Stephen Dines Lincoln Golf Club 85 85 +15
122nd Mark Stanton Chipping Norton Golf Club 85 85 +15
122nd Laurence D Hopper Stoneham Golf Club 85 85 +15
125th Jez Binch Teignmouth Golf Club 86 86 +16
126th Dion Keyser Blakes Golf Club 88 88 +18
127th Tim Christmas Chart Hills Golf Club 89 89 +19
128th Stefan Priest Hallowes Golf Club NR
129th Paul Maunder West Middlesex Golf Club NR
Labels: Amateur Men
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See story on its own page | Friday, July 02, 2010
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