Northern Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin leads the English Championship after the first round at Hanbury Manor having shot a superb 63 as one of the late starters. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

An opening round of 63 by Cormac Sharvin was enough to open up a one-shot cushion over a congested leaderboard in the inaugural English Championship.

The Northern Irishman dropped just two shots to reach eight-under par – on a day of perfect scoring conditions at Hanbury Manor Marriot Hotel and Country Club – to move one ahead of a group of six players.

The English trio of Jack Senior Laurie Canter and David Howell had all held the lead. Lancastrian Senior had gone out in 29, and got to eight-under before two late bogeys saw him drop back.

Canter and Howell – who holed his second shot on the 15th – also dropped shots on the 17^th to fall back into the pack.

They ended round one of the third event of the UK Swing alongside Belgian Thomas Detry, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, and Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Scrivener.

Sharvin said: “It was a nice round – played really well, Didn’t do too much wrong. Put it on the fairway, hit a lot of good shots and holed a few putts as well and it all added up to 63.

“Pretty happy to start well. A long way to go. But it’s always nice to shoot a good score on the first day and not put yourself out of it.

“I feel like last week I didn’t play too badly.” Cormac added: “I just struggled on the greens.

“I did a lot of work with Dean Robertson my old college coach, who has been caddying for me on the UK Swing.

“Did a lot of work on my putting process and it seemed to work. Hopefully it keeps going in that direction and see where it takes us,” said Sharvin.

English pair in hunt at Hanbury

CANTER and Howell sit one shot ahead of a group of nine players, including Belgian Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts and rising Danish star Rasmus Højgaard.

The pair recorded rounds of 65 to sit at six-under after the European Tour returned to the Hertfordshire venue for the first time since 1999.

Canter, from Somerset, said: “I got off to a great start. I said to my caddie on the putting green I didn’t feel like I was getting to grips with the greens.

“Then on the first hole I holed a 60-footer right across it. Funny how that happened.

“Played really nicely. I’d have that swing back on 17, but I’m happy with today.

“I have tried to do things a bit differently because we have the opportunity to. I’ve always played with keeping the card hanging over my head.

“Someone I work with asked ‘how are you going to approach the game differently?’ It’s not rocket science.

“I’ve tried to do a couple of things. It’s early to say it’s working. I’ve only played nine rounds.

“It’s been more enjoyable – which is one thing I’ve taken out of it and I’m having fun out there. We’ll see how long that continues.”

David Howell’s last win came in 2013 in the Alfred Dunhill Links at St Andrews

Howell: I just needed a good start

TWO-time Ryder Cup winner Howell has struggled to replicate his big wins of 2006 after a long-term back condition hampered his career.

The Broome Manor GC member, from Swindon, has now been on tour for 25 years and has five wins including the HSBC Invitational in 2005, when he beat Tiger Woods in Shanghai.

Howell, whose last win came in the Alfred Dunhill Links seven years ago, said: “It’s been a long time since I’ve put a good first round on the board to be honest. It’s what I’ve been crying out for.

“I’ve played some reasonable golf in spurts since we’ve come back but haven’t got off to a great start.

“Today it happened so it was lovely. Nice to see my name somewhere near the top of the leaderboard, if not the top.

“There was a lovely family, the only gallery we would have, in their property behind the 15th green.

“Might be the only golf fans we play in front of for the entire UK Swing.

“They happened to be sat there on their own lawn when the ball went in. They were the give away that it was indeed an eagle.”

Howell was the clubhouse leader with the six others until Sharvin overtook them late in the afternoon.

Detry on a roll after English Open near miss

THOMAS Detry has been touted by many people as a winner in waiting on the European Tour and lost out to Florida-based Mancunian Sam Horsfield in last week’s English Open.

Detry, who made nine birdies in his 64, said: “It was really good. Built up a bit of momentum from last week I think.

“I got off to a really good start, with an eagle chance at the second, a birdie putt at the third.

Detry added: “I was just rolling – had four more birdies on the last four holes of the front nine.

“Then I kept it going. I made two little mistakes on 11 and 17 but I’m very pleased with the way I’m playing golf right now.

“You’ve just got to forget about it and this week is just another chance to put my name up there and have a chance on Sunday.

“That’s what I think I’ve done today and hopefully I can keep going the next few days. Last week was not easy.

“I played some really good golf but Sam Horsfield hit an amazing shot on 17 to birdie that hole and beat me by one, so we just move on.”

Min Woo Lee has been tipped for thE top. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Min Woo Lee hopes he turned corner at Ware

ANOTHER young player touted for great things is former US Junior Amateur Champion Min Woo Lee.

He said: “I just striped it awesome. I hit it really good with my irons and my driver and rolled a few in.

“I think my longest putt was 25 feet, so I was pretty happy with that. It’s scoreable but you’ve also got to hit your shots.

“I hit it really awesome and close to the hole so it gave me a lot of opportunities.”

Lee, who sister is an LPGA winner, narrowly missed out on his European Tour card for 2020.

But he picked up the ISPS Handa Vic Open title in February to regain his playing privileges.

And he admitted the UK Swing had not started well for the 22-year-old before his arrival at Ware’s Hanbury Manor, in Hertforshire.

Lee said: “The results weren’t there for me. I missed the cut. I felt pretty down after those two and then you come out here and play really good.

“That’s golf. I worked hard in my break and on the weekends when I missed the cut. So it’s nice to come out here and shoot a good score.”

•Follow Cormac Sharvin and live scores in round two by clicking here.

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Emilio Cuartero-Blanco claimed his first European Challenge Tour win after a play-off with Oscar Lengden after the final round of the Stone Irish Challenge was washed out.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

EMILIO Cuartero-Blanco secured an emotional maiden victory on the European Challenge Tour after defeating Oscar Lengden on the third play-off hole of the Stone Irish Challenge.

The final round of the tournament, which was being played at Headfort Golf Club, was cancelled as heavy rains water-logged the course, rendering it unplayable.

With Cuartero-Blanco and Lengden sharing the 54-hole lead on 11-under, a play-off — held on the par three 17th hole — was required to determine a winner.

Both players carded two-putt pars on the first extra hole, and on the second, both nearly chipped in after missing the green.

The third time around, Cuartero-Blanco holed a birdie putt from 12 feet, and when Lengden’s birdie effort from 10 feet burned the edge, the Spaniard secured his first victory in five seasons on the Challenge Tour.

“I remember the first year I got onto the Challenge Tour five years ago, I thought I was going to win a couple, maybe three and get to the European Tour,” said Cuartero-Blanco.

“Then I got shocked with reality. I’ve been close before, but now, it’s just one of those feelings I can’t describe.

“I just want to go home and hug my loved ones. It’s just a tournament I know, and life goes on, but I’m definitely going to enjoy this one. I don’t know what to say really.”

The victory dramatically alters the course of the season for the 28-year-old, who now moves to 41st on the Road to Mallorca rankings, and gains entry into the limited-field Hainan and Foshan Opens in the Far East.

“This was going to be the last tournament of the year for me,” Cuartero-Blanco said.

“I was 100th on the rankings, and it was one of those years where you battle and the scores don’t go the right way, but you know you’re doing things well.”

The win came so suddenly for Cuartero-Blanco, that he will forgo the Hainan Open in order to obtain the necessary travel visa for the Foshan Open.

In China, he will then try to earn a spot in the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final, which is reserved for the top 45 players on the Road to Mallorca.

“I don’t even know how I played this good with all the swing changes I’m doing. I was just trying to play golf and have no back pain, and I ended up winning.

“Maybe it’s because I’m having fun, but I don’t know. I don’t want to think about it too much I just want to enjoy it.

“Now I know I can win. I know it’s not four rounds and all that, but a win is a win.”

Cormac Sharvin, who finished in a tie for fifth on eight-under, collected the Christy O’Connor Jnr Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the low-Irishman at the Stone Irish Challenge.

The Dublin resident moved to fifth on the Road to Mallorca and has joined the race to finish the season as Challenge Tour No. 1.

The Challenge Tour now heads to the Orient for two limited-field events, which begin with the Hainan Open, at Sanya Luhuitou Golf Club in Donghai Bay, China, from October 17-20.

•For full results in the Stone Irish Challenge click here.

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Canadian Aaron Cockerill shares the lead at the Stone Irish Challenge after a five-under par 67, after a run of good results on in Morocco. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AARON Cockerill’s red-hot form has travelled from Morocco to Ireland and he will take a share of the lead into day two at the Stone Irish Challenge.

The Canadian, who has jumped from 97^th to 50^th on the Road to Mallorca rankings over the past three tournaments, carded a five-under par 67 to sit atop the leaderboard.

He shared the lead alongside Somerset’s Laurie Canter, Spaniard Emilio Cuartero Blanco and Dutchman Daan Huizing.

The round was the first trip Cockerill made around the difficult Headfort New course, after he spent the early part of the week working to make travel arrangements for the upcoming Hainan Open following his last three results of tied 17^th, tied fifth and tied seventh, which earned him a place in the limited field.

“This course is pretty demanding off the tee, and I hadn’t played a practice round because I’ve been trying to figure out my visa, but maybe that was a good thing because there were fewer things to think about,” said Cockerill.

It can often be a fine line between success and failure in professional golf, and the 27-year-old believes the key to his current form comes from being on the good side of those narrow margins.

“I’ve made a lot of cuts, but I just hadn’t had a lot of high finishes,” Cockerill added. “It’s not that big of a difference between finishing 40^th and finishing 15^th.

“It’s a couple things here or there, maybe one less bad drive or making the odd putt, just very minor stuff.

“I’ve kind of been around the lead for the last month it feels like so I’m getting a bit more comfortable and my game is feeling good.”

Asked if he puts much stock into his position on the leaderboard after one round, the Winnipeg native said he has learned his lesson over the years.

“I used to, and that’s when I would shoot 75 in round two or three and be out of it, but not anymore.

‘Now I just take it shot by shot, as simple as that sounds, that’s what has been working for me, just worry about the next one.”

With only the top 45 players qualifying for the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final, Cockerill has sprung to life at the perfect time.

But he will have to hold off his peers who he shares the lead with and a host of players within striking distance.

Dublin resident Cormac Sharvin, who occupies the eighth position on the Road to Mallorca, sits only two shots back of the leaders after carding a three-under par 69.

And he is joined by former European Tour winner Michael Hoey, from Northern Ireland, who also carded an opening round 69 of his own to take a share of tenth place.

The opening round of the Stone Irish Challenge was suspended due to darkness, however with only one group left to finish, the final group will complete play on Friday morning at 8.45am.

Tee times for round two will remain unaffected. Follow live scoring here.

The post Why Canadian Cockerill won’t be crowing despite leading Stone Irish Challenge appeared first on Golf North.

SIX-under par was the score of the day at the ISPS Handa World Invitational Men | Women, as Scotland’s Craig Ross and Darlington’s Eleanor Givens wrote their names into the record books as first-round leaders.

Ross, who won on the EuroPro Tour last year, carded a 64 at Massereene Golf Club, while England’s Givens signed for her own six-under round with a 67 at the par 73 Galgorm Castle Golf Club.

The pair lead their respective tournaments by one stroke from two competitors.

Five of the top seven players in tied fourth or better in the men’s tournament were playing at Massereene, while 13 of the top 14 in the women’s tournament opened their tournament at Galgorm Castle, highlighting how the scoring contrasted at each set-up.

With heavy rain curtailing the pro-am on Wednesday, both courses were wet underfoot early on day one, with the majority of the low scorers playing later in the day.

Ross’s superb bogey-free 64 set the pace in the men’s tournament ahead of England’s Europro winner Richard Mansell, and Frenchman Gary Stal on five-under.

Ross, from Kirkhill Golf Club, who earned his Challenge Tour by making the cut at Qualifying School, in Spain, in November, said: “It was great to put a 64 together. I’ve had some poor performances to start the season, so it’s nice to be able to put a strong score together out there.

“I was missing a few greens early on but made some good up-and-downs over my opening nine, and then on the closing nine I was just able to slot in some birdie putts.

“It was obviously great to finish with five birdies in the last six holes.

“I was expecting the scores to be a lot lower, especially looking at the results in the Northern Ireland Open in the past.

“So I was little surprised to see four[under was leading after the morning although this course is a little tricky to master because the two nines play quite differently.

“I’m expecting Galgorm Castle to be a little tougher, especially because the weather’s not looking so good.

“But I’m just going to try and do more of the same stuff,” added Ross.

“I really enjoyed playing in the Jordan Mixed Open, where we were paired up with one woman and a senior.

“I know this event is a little bit different in that we are not playing directly against the girls, but it’s cool to see another format like this on the schedule and I’ve been really enjoying the experience so far.”

Meanwhile Calum Hill, who has won twice in his last three starts on the Euorpean Challenge Tour, is a shot further back among the pack on four-under in the tournament, which has been organised by Nial Horan’s Modest! Golf Management group that looks after many of the Tour’s up and coming young stars.

Cormac Sharvin was one of the strong contingent of Irish players hoping to give the crowds something to cheer – after Shane Lowry’s memorable win in The Open at Royal Portrush last month.

Sharvin, who is 26 and attached to Ardglass GC, said: “I played really nicely tee to green and it was probably as bad a score as it could have been.

“I gave myself good chances on practically every hole, drove it well and my iron play was very good.

“It was playing tricky, a lot trickier than I thought it was going to be so I’m pretty happy with two-under.

Sharvin, who won the Irish Amateur Championship in 2013, added: “The course has held up well considering the rain we’ve had – just that little bit of breeze made it tricky.

“Quite a few par fours we were hitting longer clubs into. I can see why some people are going to struggle.

“You can’t win it on the first day, you can only lose it. Two-under has put me in a decent position.

“The format is good. To be honest, we struggled to keep up with the women in front. We got monitored at one stage. The women seem to be playing pretty quick and maybe they’re showing us how it’s done!”

Givens leads on six-under from American Beth Allen and Germany’s Karolin Lampert, who are two shots clear of Silvia Banon, Manon de Roey, Wentworth’s Annabel Dimmock and local star Stephanie Meadow on three-under.

Givens said: “I’m really pleased with how I played. I played really solid golf and was really happy with how it was.

“It’s actually my first time playing with some new clubs I have so it was nice to start with that – and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.

“It’s actually been really nice weather and the greens are rolling really nicely, so there’s definitely a score out there to be had.

“I had a little bit of a slow patch towards the end of my first nine holes but then played really well on the back nine.

“There’s some interesting weather coming our way. We played in some interesting weather last week in Scotland as well, so I’ve had a lot of practice recently and I’d rather play in sunshine, but will see what comes.

“I’ll just stay really patient and try to play as steady as possible. Massereene is another really nice golf course, so I’ll just deal with whatever comes our way and keep going.

“It’s nice to play in the Northern Hemisphere in this format. I played in the Vic Open before so I was really excited to try and do that here and I’m glad I could come.”

Meadow, who represented Ireland at Olympics in Rio three years ago, said: “I started good, a little shaky in the middle, and then battled back towards the end.

“I hit a lot of good putts but nothing really fell, but overall it’s a decent start.

“I’m just happy I hit some really good iron shots on the way in and when that happens, that’s a good sign for tomorrow and the rest of the week.

“It was great to see some very old faces I haven’t seen in a very long time, so I’m sure it’ll be the same tomorrow. I’ll take it in and enjoy it.

“There were a good few Portrush faces around, one lady was lady captain when I joined and I was her junior prize winner.

“She brought the picture where I think I was 10. She was showing me on the first tee. It’s just little things like that that are pretty special and we’ll always remember that.

“I was a tiny bit nervous on the first tee, which is a bit unusual. I had a few sponsors here, including the CEO.

“It was more emotional than anything. Nervous isn’t the right word, just more emotional than normal.

“Obviously, I want to play well for everybody and give everybody a show who came to support me.

“It’s great so far, it’s been run really well. I enjoy being with the men, we do the same thing week in week out, 25 weeks a year.

“So to see some new faces and even hear the sound on the driving range of the guys hitting is a little strange. It’s nice, it’s a good change,” added Meadow, who has been playing in the USA on the LPGA and Symetra Tour for the past three years.

On Friday, players will switch courses so those playing at Galgorm Castle on Thursday will play at Massereene and vice versa, before the field is cut to 60 and ties in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

For live scoring click here

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