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.
TO VIEW THE IRISH GOLF UNION'S REPORT
ON THE FIRST DAY WITH SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: Student Golf