Par breakers rule the British Amateur
BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2007 British Amateur Championship | Round One | 19 Jun 2007
The first round of the 36 hole stroke qualifying for the British Amateur finished last evening where if you didn’t return a score of par or better, you ran the risk of missing qualification all together. In total, 63 players finished under 70, with the top 64 and ties to move into the match play stage and championship proper on Wednesday.
Rohan Blizard’s 66 on the par 72 St Annes course was the best of the Australians, with the Australian Amateur champion in T5 for the championship. Rick Kulacz is a stroke behind in T13, whilst Scott Arnold’ 68 and T24 was a continuation of his form after his runner-up finish at the St Andrews Links a fortnight ago.
Matthew Griffin was the best of the Australians at the par 71 Royal Lytham layout, the Victorian finishing with a 2 under 69 joining New Zealand’s Troy Ropiha. Andrew Dodt’s one under 70, was the last Australian within the top 64 and ties.
Despite having an opening par round at Royal Lytham, Tim Stewart will be looking to improve on his 71 and the 2006 Australian Amateur Champion is currently only a single stroke outside the all important top 64.
Jamie Arnold (74), Blake McGory (76) and Josh Younger (80) will be looking to improve, if they are to have any chance surviving the qualification rounds.
England’s David Horsey, who toured Australia this summer with the English Elite squad, currently leads the British Amateur with a -7, 64 from Royal Lytham. At St Annes, Englishmen David Corsby and Craig Evans scored the lowest round with 65’s.
Debate amongst the players continued after the opening rounds as to who had the advantage from playing the two different courses, which are similar but with subtle challenges for the player.
Many, including Rhein Gibson, an Australian playing out of the US Colligate system, who opened with an even par 71 on the Royal Lytham course, feels the St Annes course is the easiest of the two.
“I played pretty good this morning and was 3 under through 11 holes, but had some trouble coming in. I’m not that happy with how my overall game is right now, so to scrape it around for even on the harder of the two courses is good.”
“Today, obviously all the better scores are being posted on the old links, so if I can shoot a decent number tomorrow at St Annes, say something in the 60s, I should be right to make it through qualification.”
Scott Arnold shares similar views about the two courses.
“St Annes is definitely the scoring course, though it is still a tough little track to play. The rough is pretty long, but it’s wider that Royal Lytham so you can get away with a few bad tee shots. The greens are rolling true and are at a good pace, which is nice because you can putt more aggressively and try to and make birdie.”
“The Royal Lytham layout is very narrow with bunkers everywhere. They are placed in the exact spots where your drives finish, so if you miss the fairway you will be in a trap or thick rough knee high, which you can only hack out with a sand iron, assuming you find your ball.”
“Royal Lytham is long and you can’t really hit 3 woods and irons off the tee to keep it in play because you will be left hitting 5 and 4 irons into greens the size of postage stamps with surrounding greenside bunkers that are deep. To play well and win this week, there is no question that you’ll have to drive it well.”
Both Arnold and Gibson appear to share the general consensus that players who were scheduled today on St Annes had the benefit, which makes David Horsey’s 64 at Royal Lytham an outstanding result and it would appear gives him the upper hand when he tackles St Annes tomorrow.
With the field rotating tomorrow and with many pinning their hopes on being able to score low at St Annes, risks are sure to be taken as those over par attempt to get back into the tournament. It appears then at this British Amateur to make the cut, you need to be a par breaker.
