Lee irons out his game at delayed Porter
IN: News | US Mens Amateur | Porter Cup (2008) | Round One | by Anthony Powter | 24 Jul 2008
New Zealand’s Danny Lee has been concerned with his iron play a lot lately but you wouldn’t have thought it today as the 17-year-old fired a 1-under-par 69 to be well positioned after the first round of the Porter Cup in Lewiston, New York.
Lee, playing in his first Porter Cup, is T14 and seven strokes behind Adam Mitchell, who sits at 8-under 62.
Lee’s back to back bogey start was quickly mended with four birdies and the Kiwi whiz-kid is confident the solitude earlier in the week on the range at Niagara Falls Country Club has fixed the problems he was experiencing with the blades.
“My iron play has let me down lately, especially at the Southern Amateur last week,” said the world number six.
“I’ve spent some time looking at it and I’m starting to hit the ball probably the best that I have since arriving here in America. This is a tight course and you have to be able to position your tee shot well and I was able to do that today despite opening with two bogeys and the rain delay.”
A T7 at the Dogwood Invitational remains Lee’s best result this US season, after finishing T31 at last week’s Southern Amateur.
“This is my first time at the Porter Cup and the course is very demanding on your tee shots but I’m more confident with my game than I was a few weeks back and feel I can score well here.”
Justin Roach was the best Australian at 3-under-par and T4 position whilst the remainder of the Australian contingent struggled on the tight rain effected layout. James Gill, one of Lee’s fellow countrymen, opened strongly to join Roach at 3-under-par.
Matthew Griffin and Matt Jager, two of our inform players this US season, will need to move tomorrow if they are to feature this week.
Both Jager and Griffin each opened with a disappointing 4-over-par 74 to find themselves in T68 position. Rohan Blizard, who last week was playing against the world’s best professionals at The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, is one behind in T75 position along with Ray Beaufils after opening rounds of 75 to be at 5-over-par.
Scott Arnold opened with a 1-over-par 71 to be in T34 position, a stroke ahead of Jason Scrivener, whilst Tim Stewart is at 3-over-par and in T58 position.
A 3-hour rain delay had most of the invited field of 84 experiencing a split round. Upon the resumption of play, conditions deteriorated further, with strong winds lashing the layout and possibly explaining the higher than normal scores.
“It was not that easy,” said Lee following his round. “The greens were softer after the delay, so you could attack the pins more, but it was still playing long.”
“There is no cut this week, so we all can get our game going but it’s certainly a tough event as the field is very strong.”
In its fifty-year history, the Porter Cup has evolved into one of the most prestigious amateur golf tournaments in the world. Tournament organisers claim 11 Masters titles, 14 US Opens, 9 British Opens and 13 PGA Championships belong to former Porter Cup champions. That’s certainly an impressive statistic.
Lee is a prodigious and exciting young talent and the time spent on the range working on his irons could well deliver the result he wants and set the foundation for Lee’s career, as the tournament has for so many of its former winners.
