Goddard leads McGregor Trophy after bogey-free 68   England’s Harry Goddard shot a bogey free 68 today to take a three-shot halfway lead in the McGregor Trophy at Royal Ashdown Forest in Sussex. “It’s my first ever bogey free round,” said Goddard (Images © Leaderboard Photography), who is three-under par after 36 holes of the English U16 boys’ open stroke play championship. His score also helped England I to win the Nations Cup, played over the first two rounds. Goddard teamed up with James Cooper (Cumberwell Park) and Hugo Kedzlie (Spalding) to finish three shots ahead of Denmark. England II, represented by Charlie Daughtrey (Rotherham), Charlie Hilton (Ifield) and Charlie Salter (Northamptonshire County) tied third with Italy, a further three shots back. In the McGregor Trophy, Goddard’s closest challenger is his playing partner of today, the Danish amateur champion Rasmus Hojgaard, who shot one-under par 71 for a level par total. A shot further back, on one over, are Daughtrey and overnight co-leader, Tom Stagg (Salisbury and South Wilts). George Raitt (Whetstone) another co-leader after round one, lies fifth on two-over. Goddard, from Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire, remarked: “I wasn’t really looking to make a move today, I just went out with my game plan and tried to put myself in a good position for the last two rounds. “Tomorrow I’ll just stick to my game plan and whatever happens, happens. I’m playing solid and if I do that I’m not going to be too disappointed.”   The England U16 international plotted his way round, using his driver judiciously and taking irons off most of the tees. He made his first birdie on the short sixth where his tee shot finished just 4ft from the pin. His other three birdies all took the opportunities offered by the par fives and he capitalised on good lag putting. Hojgaard also made progress today but, like yesterday, he was rueful about his play over the closing holes.   He again got to three-under after 15, thanks to good iron play and approach shots, only to drop back with bogeys on the 16thand 18th. “Tomorrow I shall just have to shoot a low round,” he said. Among the day’s other low scorers were Dominic Clemons, 14, (Gog Magog) who claimed his place in the McGregor with a top six finish in last year’s U14 Reid Trophy. He scored three-under 69 for one of his best competitive scores, cutting 10 shots off his opening round and safely making the cut. “I knew I needed a good round to have a chance of making the cut,” he said. Charlie Daughtrey also beat par with two-under 70, which included an eagle three on the 10th. It’s his first sub-par round in an England event and he described it as a “confidence boost.” The championship was disrupted by a thunderstorm yesterday and 11 groups had to return to the course this morning to complete the first round. Tom Matthews of Oswestry in Shropshire overcame a host of challenges to take the 18-hole lead with a score of two-under par 70. His trolley collapsed by the first green and he had to carry his tour bag for two holes while his dad dashed off to get a replacement. Then his round was brought to an abrupt halt on the 13th when thunder, lightning and torrential rain forced the players off the course. But far from derailing Matthews, the 16-year-old played his way to the top of the leaderboard. His fortunes changed in the second round when he scored 80 but he made the cut for the final 36 holes. The field was cut to the leading 40 players and ties after today’s round. The cut fell on eight-over par and a total of 51 players qualified for the final 36 holes tomorrow. Click here for full scores and the draw Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193