Ross Drummond top Scot in Sharjah


Seniors with a 70


EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
Chris Williams carded a first round of 65 to take a one shot lead into the second round of the inaugural Sharjah Senior Golf Masters.

The 57 year old made two eagles and five birdies as he finished his round seven under par, one shot ahead of Sweden’s Magnus P Atlevi, America’s Clark Dennis and Denmark’s Steen Tinning, setting a new course record at Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club.

The European Senior Tour has returned to the United Arab Emirates for the first time since 2000 and Sharjah Golf and Shooting Club is hosting the first ever European Tour-sanctioned event to be played on a nine-hole golf course.

Players are using alternate tee boxes on the par three and par five holes, changing the yardages and approaches on each circuit of the nine-hole course.

Williams, who last won on the Senior Tour in 2011, was glad to have made a fast start to the 2017 season. 

“It’s a great way to start the golfomg year,” he said. “It’s just what you want, and I’m fortunate to have got off to a good start.

“The course suits everyone’s game. It is in great condition and the course is there for the taking. The fairways are pretty wide but the greens can be tricky, particularly in the wind. Even so, I would expect some of the guys to go low this weekend.”

The South African eagled the fourth and 15th holes, sinking a long putt for his first and then chipping in from a bunker for his second.

Clark Dennis, who is making his Senior Tour debut in Sharjah, also eagled the 15th as he finished with a first round of 66.

“I played very nicely today,” said Dennis, who earned his card at Senior Tour Qualifying School last month.

“I made a few birdies and snuck and eagle in there. There were a couple of bogeys but, overall, I had a really good round today.

“Sharjah has been wonderful, the people have been great and the golf course is fantastic. I’m really enjoying my first visit here in the UAE."

Scores after round one:
par 72
65 C Williams (SAf) 
66 M Atlevi (Swe) , C Dennis (USA) , S Tinning (Den) ,
67 G Wolstenholme (Eng) , M Martin (Spn) , G Marks (Eng) , G Rusnak (USA) , A Bossert (Sui) 
68 J Kingston (SAf) , S Dodd (Wal) , B Conser (USA) ,
69 J Quiros (Esp) , J Spence (Eng) , B Lane (Eng) , P Linhart (Spn) ,
70 M Harwood (Aus) , P Wilson (Eng) , R Chapman (Eng) , T Thelen (USA) , R Drummond (Sco) , P Broadhurst (Eng) , S Luna (Esp) , A Mednick (Swe) , L Zhang (Chn) , P Wesselingh (Eng) 
71 M Davis (Eng) , P Fowler (Aus) , D Russell (Eng) , M Farry (Fra) 
72 P Walton (Ire) , A Sherborne (Eng) , B McGovern (Ire) , G Brand jun (Sco) , M Mouland (Wal) , S Brown (Eng)  
73 J Carriles (Esp) , M Mackenzie (Eng) , G Manson (Aut) , P Eales (Eng) , C Monasterio (Arg) , P Golding (Eng)  
74 J Hall (Eng) , G Emerson (Eng) , D Smyth (Ire)
75 J Sallat (Fra) , G Brand (Eng) , R Rafferty (NIr) , R Larsen (Den) , P Mitchell (Eng) , C Rocca (Ita) 
76 S Richardson (Eng) , N Job (Eng) , J Mills (Eng) (am) ,
77 J Rivero (Spn) 
80 A Forsbrand (Swe) , R Sulaiman (Sing)  (am).