OLDCORN AND DRUMMOND IN THE MIX AT WOOSNAM LEADS

REPORT FROM EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS 

Andrew Oldcorn and Ross Drummond charged into contention at the Speedy Services Wales Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club

The Scots duo carded respective opening scores of five under 66 and four under 67 to stay very much in touch with the first round leader Ian Woosnam, whose best of the day 65 gave him a one shot lead over Oldcorn and Englishman Phil Golding. 

He may have been outscored by three players, but Drummond’s first round was arguably the best performance of the day having begun in horrendous conditions, with torrential rain and gusting winds battering Porthcawl from the Atlantic Ocean. 

Oldcorn certainly agreed with that assessment. He said: “I was getting my stuff out of the car this morning when I saw Ross coming down the first and it was just absolutely brutal. His 67 is almost certainly the best of the day.” 

Drummond began his professional career at one of the world’s great links venues at Turnberry, admitted his links golf background was the key to overcoming the early conditions.

Standing on the first tee Drummond admitted that a score of 67 was the farthest thing from his mind, but a birdie on the second to cancel out his opening bogey steadied the ship before conditions cleared and allowed the 56 year old Scot to fully express his links golf talent as he notched three birdies in his closing six holes to move into contention.

“I certainly wasn’t thinking 67 on that first tee this morning!” smiled Drummond. “It was one of those mornings when you are standing on the first tee thinking par is very much your friend today. 

“But as the conditions calmed down a bit I realised I was playing pretty good and really enjoyed it out there. I have played links golf all my life and, living in Prestwick, I still play most of my golf on links courses. There is definitely a more instinctive feel to playing links golf. You have to know when to play the correct shot and a lot of that just comes from experience I suppose.”

 

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD

Par 71
65 I Woosnam (Wal);

66 A Oldcorn (Sco); P Golding (Eng);

67 M Farry (Fra); R Drummond (Sco); B Lane (Eng);

68 N Job (Eng); L Carbonetti (Arg); J Bruner (USA); P Walton (Irl); D O'Sullivan (Irl);

69 D Russell (Eng); S Brown (Eng); M James (Eng); T Price (Aus);

70 J Quiros (Esp); A Franco (Par); P Jonas (Can); S Van Vuuren (RSA); A Sherborne (Eng); M Martin (Esp); C Mason (Eng); T Thelen (USA);

71 A Forsbrand (Swe); J Harrison (Eng); M Cunning (USA); G Manson (Aut); G Brand Jnr (Sco);

72 P Way (Eng); J Rivero (Esp); P Fowler (Aus); K Spurgeon (Eng); C Williams (RSA); J Laforce (Can); W Grant (Eng); G Wolstenholme (Eng); S Bennett (Eng);

73 G Ryall (Eng); B Cameron (Eng); P Linhart (Esp); B Longmuir (Sco); G Ralph (Eng); J Carriles (Esp);

74 M Piñero (Esp); D Smyth (Irl); E Darcy (Irl); T Johnstone (Zim); S Tinning (Den); M Bembridge (Eng); S Cipa (Eng); J Gould (Eng);

75 J Spence (Eng); P Wesselingh (Eng); C O'Connor Jnr (Irl); G Norquist (USA); D James (Sco); R Thompson (USA);

76 R Gibson (Can); S Luna (Esp); M McLean (Eng); T Elliott (Aus);

77 G Brand (Eng); P Mitchell (Eng);

78 N Ratcliffe (Aus); M Mackenzie (Eng); D Hospital (Esp);

79 P Mayo (Wal); D Durnian (Eng);

80 M Deboub (Alg);

81 A Garrido (Esp);

83 G Banister (Aus);

88 V Garcia (Esp);

ENDS