Howard's 68 has him in the mix at Student 

Games in South Korea
 
FROM Dr ROB MACPHERSON
On a warm, muggy day at Gold Lake Country Club, Naju, Gwangju, South Korea, the British golf teams had  mixed fortunes on the opening day of the 26th Summer Universiade (World University Games). 
 With nearly 20,000 athletes competing and a worldwide television audience running into the billions, the Universiade is second only to the Olympics in terms of scale and profile of multi-sport events. Golf takes part in the Student Games for only the second time, having previously been showcased at Mission Hills, China in 2011.

In the men's event, Mike Howard (Edinburgh and Royal Birkdale), a golf course architecture student who studied his undergraduate degree at the University of Stirling, produced brilliant golf in the taxing conditions to post a four under par round of 68. 

Playing quality golf throughout the round, Mike birdied the first, sixth, 10th, 12th and 14th holes, his only blemish being a three-putt bogey at the fourth. 

Howard lies one shot off the overnight lead, held by Natipong Srithong (Thailand). 

Craig Chalmers (Strathclyde and Cawder) also had a very strong opening to the tournament, securing a birdie at the last for a one-under par 71 to lie eighth overnight.

The third member of Team GB, Henry Tomlinson (Stirling and  Royal Lytham) started well, and was two under par through six holes.

However, double bogeys at the eighth and 10th and a couple of three putts on the back nine saw him post a 76 (+4) to lie just outside the top 30. 

In the men's team event, Great Britain (-5) trail leaders Thailand (-8) by three shots, but are currently ahead of pre-event favourites South Korea (-4) as well as well fancied Japan (-2) and Ireland (-2).

In the women's event, held at the same venue, first year student Gemma Batty (Stirling and Powfoot) had 15 pars and three bogyes for a three-over 75 to lie inside the top 20 and seven off the lead of Shina Kanazawa of Japan.

Team-mates Hannah McCook (Stirling and Grantown-on-Spey) and Katie Bradbury (Exeter and Cottrell Park) shot rounds of 78 and 79 respectively. 

The GB women's team lie 11th overnight, behind early pacesetters Chinese Taipei.

The Universiade concludes on Saturday after 72 holes.

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