Course record for Jager at British Am
BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2009 British Amateur Championship | Round One | 16 Jun 2009
Matt Jager could not have asked for a better start for his opening round of the British Amateur Championship in Liverpool.
A course record 66 at Formby Golf Club has the New Zealand Amateur Champion in second place following the first round, a stroke behind Italy’s Matteo Manassero, who also fired a course record 65 at the second venue, West Lancashire.
Jager’s six-under-par round was a peerless display of golf on the 7095-yard Formby layout which included an eagle and five birdies, opening with a 3 under-par 34 on the front nine, supported by a closing 3-under-par, 32 on the back nine.
The only blemish for the world number nine, was a single bogey on the 435 yard opening hole.
“I just hit three drivers all day,” said an elated Jager this evening.
“I could not have asked for a better start to the week. I said earlier that I was visually seeing the links courses better and that I was feeling more relaxed having got use to their speed.”
The ability to keep the ball on the slick and running fairways appears to a critical factor towards remaining competitive here in Liverpool. Jager during the opening round was able to do that by effective course management through precision iron play off the tees.
“Today, I was able to keep the ball in play with lots of irons and I was striking it great,” remarked Jager.
“I hit lots of greens, holed the occasional putt with a good one holed on seventeen for eagle. Its not often you hit two 4 irons in to a par 5, but my course management was spot on out there today.”
With his game on song with a course record opening round, Jager will have an afternoon second round tee time at West Lancashire tomorrow, the layout where Manassero fired his course record 65 this morning.
“Obviously, I’m feeling great,” says Jager.
“There are a lot of good players this week in the field. My ball striking is probably the strongest that it has been for a while and we will just see how things go, but to be where I’m currently are on the leaderboard, it’s very pleasing.”
Brendan Smith is the best placed Australian behind Jager, opening with a 2-under-par 70 around West Lancashire to be in a tie for 16th position. Lincoln Tighe is in a tie for 23rd position after his 1-under-par 71 at Formby, Daniel Nisbet finds himself in a tie for 74th after an opening 74, whilst Jason Scrivener and Bryden Macpherson will have to move tomorrow to make the cut, opening with rounds of 75 to be in a tie for 111th position.
The 64 lowest scores plus tied over the 36 holes place will compete in the match play stage of the Championship, which will commence on Wednesday 17 June 2009, at Formby.
