The 2019 St Andrews Links Trophy winner Jake Burnage – the 2020 championship has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture by ST ANDREWS LINKS

THE St Andrews Links Trophy – which produces Europe’s strongest strokeplay field – has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The St Andrews Links Trust took the decision after the Government’s lockdown was brought in to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, earlier this week.

The cancellation also affects the St Rule Trophy – a leading strokeplay event in the women’s amateur calendar.

The men’s annual 72-hole championship played over two of the St Andrews Links Trust’s five championship courses – with three rounds normally played on the Old Course annually – was due to be played from June 5-7.

A spokesman for the Trust said: “Following discussions with the organising committees of both the St Andrews Links Trophy and St Rule Trophy, we have taken the decision today (Thursday), to cancel the 2020 staging of both of these annual amateur tournaments.”

The St Andrews Links Trophy’s most famous winner was Justin Rose, who was just 16 back in 2007 – the year he made his Walker Cup debut for the Great Britain and Ireland team against the USA as the youngest player in the competition’s history, having just turned 17.

The Trust’s director of golf John Grant said: “The health and wellbeing of our teams, entrants and their families is our number one priority.

“Following the closure of all our facilities and with many countries and regions recommending self-quarantine and continued restrictions on travel, we felt that it was not practical or appropriate to stage this year’s tournaments.

“With both events attracting entrants from around the world we wanted to make a decision as early as possible.

“We look forward to the return of both the St Andrews Links Trophy and St Rule Trophy to St Andrews Links in 2021.”

The St Andrews Links clubhouse

Just two have won St Andrews twice

CRAIG Watson – who captained Great Britain and Ireland}s Walker Cup team at Royal Liverpool last year – is one of only two players to have won the St Andrews Links Trophy twice in its 32-year history.

But he was beaten to the claim of being the first to win the championship twice by Walker Cup star Barclay Howard, who won at St Andrews in 1994 and 1996.

Watson claimed the famous trophy in 1992 – five years before he would claim the Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s.

The East Renfrewshire GC member returned to St Andrew’s two months after his debut in the 1998 Masters at Augusta to lift the trophy again.

Howard, who was a member of the 1995 Walker Cup team that conquered Tiger Woods & Co. at Royal Porthcrawl, was in his early 40s when he began winning big amateur event.

The Cochrane Castle GC member had been made redundant by Rolls-Royce in 1993 and dedicated, his time to playing full-time against the best amateurs.

Howard was the oldest GB&I player in both Walker Cups he was selected for – and was a team-mate of Justin Rose’s in the 1997 defeat at Quaker Ridge, in New York, after claiming the Silver Medal as the low amateur at The Open, at Royal Troon, a month earlier.

With so many winners in the 21st Century turning pro either after their victory at the Home of Golf, or within 12-24 months, the chances of a second victory – let alone back-to-back are very slim these days.

Many winners have gone on to secure their Walker Cup place by winning the St Andrews Links Trophy in an odd year – although the 2019 champion Jake Burnage, from Saunton, was not picked for the match at Hoylake, in September.

Royal Liverpool’s European Challenge Tour winner Matthew Jordan (2017), Hampshire’s Neil Raymond (2013) and Hertfordshire’s Tom Lewis (2011) are three of the five English winners in the last decade.

All three made their Walker Cup debuts in the year of their victory at St Andrews while Ireland’s Alan Dunbar – the winner in 2009 – is one of a small number who did not make the Walker Cup in the year they won at the Home of Golf.

Richard Finch – who won the 2002 English Amateur Championship at Walton Heath – won the St Andrews Links Trophy in June 2003

Finch turned pro after St Andrews Link win

YORKSHIRE’S Richard Finch turned pro in the summer of 2003 after winning the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Hull GC member was also due to defend the English Amateur crown he won at Walton Heath, in August 2002, and missed out on a Walker Cup appearance at Ganton in September, after signing for Chubby Chandler’s ISM Group.

Wales’ Llewellyn Matthews – the wire-to-wire winner in 2007 – and Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman, who lifted the trophy in front of the famous R&A clubhouse in 2005, both made the Walker Cup team after their victories.

Meanwhile Essex’s two winners – Matthew Southgate (2010) and Oliver Fisher (2006) – went on to earn their European Tour cards.

Fisher also broke Rose’s record when making his Walker Cup debut in 2005 as a 16-year-old.

As well as Saltman, a member at Craigielaw, Scottish winners include Grant Forrest (2014), who also hails from the same club, Carnoustie’s Kier McNicoll (2008) and Leven’s Jamie McLeary (2004).

The latter followed West Linton’s Simon McKenzie’s triumph in 2002 and Colville Park’s Steve O’Hara in 2001, who went on to play in GB&I’s famous win at Sea Island that August.

The team – led by Peter McEvoy – contained future PGA Tour winners Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell – while Scotland’s Marc Warren, Essex’s Richard McEvoy and three-time Faldo Series winner Nick Dougherty all went on to win on the European Tour.

It was the first GB&I team to successfully defend the Walker Cup by winning on US soil.

The winners of the St Andrews Links Trophy have their photo taken standing on the famous Swilcan Bridge, which runs across the 18th fairway on the Old Course.

Huizing’s low-total record in St Andrews Links Trophy

HOLLAND’S Daan Huizing holds the championship record for the lowest 72-hole total in the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Dutchman won with a 23-under par total of 264 – playing one round on the New and three on the Old.

That was four shots better than Jake Burnage’s winning total in 2019 when the Devon ace played the Jubilee and the Old.

The first-ever winner was Russell Claydon, from Cambridge’s Gog Magog GC, back in 1989.

Australian Stuart Bovier, who succeeded Claydon, Holland’s Daan Huizing (2012) and Italy’s Federico Zucchetti (2015) are the only three overseas winners in the last 32 years.

In total, 11 Englishmen and 11 Scotsmen have won the title with Ireland providing two of the winners in the last four years – Conor O’Rourke in 2016, and John Murphy in 2018.

The date in the men’s amateur calendar clashes with a number of English counties annual championships, which has meant some of England’s top players over the past two decades have missed out on winning their own county championship.

That list includes Hampshire’s Sam Hutsby, Scott Gregory and Harry Ellis who all reached the final of The Amateur Championship, while Corhampton’s Neil Raymond achieved a rare double by winning the Brabazon (twice in 2011 and 2012 ) as well as the St Andrews Links in 2013.

The 11th hole on the Jubilee Course, which is used regularly in the St Andrews Links Trophy

Jubilee and New used as second course for Links Trophy

THE second course used for the St Andrews Links Trophy normally rotates between the Jubilee and the New.

Out a field of 144 – determined by the Official World Golf Rankings and a number of nominations from national golf unions – the top 40 players after playing a round on each course, play 36 holes on the Old Course.

In the past there have been times when used of the Old has been restricted, normally when St Andrews is playing host to the Open Championship in the same year.

And normally every five years, the players get to play the Old Course when the stands for The Open, plus the relevant signage, is already in place.

The championships in 1999 and 2000 were reduced to 36 holes because of the weather, while the 2015 event was cut to 54 holes for the same reason.

The ninth hole on the New Course, also used regularly for the St Andrews Links Trophy

Week-long St Andrews festival ‘remains on’

THE St Andrews Links Trust also organises a week-long festival of amateur events each August for players of all ages and abilities which are still scheduled to take place at present.

The trust spokesman said: “The annual fortnight of competition hosted by St Andrews Links Trust for amateurs of all ages and abilities in August, including the St Andrews Boys’ Open, remains in the diary at present.”

But they are subject to “continued monitoring and review,” he added.

“If there is any change in their status entrants will be contacted immediately,” said the spokesman.

The Links Trust also organises the St Andrews Junior Ladies’ Open, and the Eden and Strathtyrum Trophies every summer.

The organising committees of the two cancelled events – the St Andrews Links and St Rule Trophy – are committed to refunding all entry payments within 10-14 days.

“Entrants do not need to contact the tournament team in order to request a refund, these will be processed automatically via the original payment method,” said the trust spokesman.

•Entries for the 2020 Boys’ and Junior Ladies’ Open close in June. For details click here.

Allyn Dick, from Kingsfield Golf Club, who won the Eden Trophy in 2019. It was first played for back in 1919. Picture by ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST

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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.

CALUM Hill picked up the second win in his last three starts by sealing a one-shot victory at the Made in Denmark Challenge.

The Scot began the final day in a five-way tie for the lead, but birdied his first two holes – and then continued to push further under par, playing the sort of game which has characterised the last month of his career.

In a run of form beginning at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, where the 24-year-old finished as the joint low-Scot, he has played four tournaments in a combined 67-under par, winning the Euram Bank Open.

Hill also finished tied-third at the Vierumäki Finnish Challenge, before triumphing this week in Skanderborg.

“I had a fantastic week up in Scotland with it being my first taste of a Rolex Series event,” said Hill, a Craigie Hill member, who hails from Kircaldy, and has been attached to Gleneagles since the spring, after signing for Edinburgh-based Bounce golf management firm last summer.

“Having a nice finish there just put a little cherry on top and gave me a little bit of confidence going forward.

“Then winning in Austria was a really big pick up and it got me feeling good. I didn’t get it done last week in Finland, but I’m very happy to have another good week here in Denmark.

“If you can keep having good weeks it makes a big difference,” added Hill, who won two pro events in the USA in 2017, after finishing his studies at the University of Western New Mexico.

Hill now finds himself second in the Challenge Tour Rankings, and in pursuit of a third win this season, which would see him immediately graduate to the European Tour under the three-win rule.

Hill said: “A third win would obviously be the best outcome if that were able to happen.

“If not I’ll carry on for the rest of the season and hope to stay in that top 15 and get a European Tour card for next year,” said the former

“But I’m very happy with how things have panned out and I can’t complain at all,” said Hill, who qualified for the US Open last year at Shinnecock Hills, making the cut before finishing 61st.

Joel Sjöholm carded rounds of 65, 69, 65 and 68 to finish alone in second. The Swede pushed Hill right to the end, making a brilliant up-and-down on the final hole to secure his position on 22-under, and force Hill to make an up-and-down of his own for the win.

Sjöholm’s runner-up finish was his second of the season, and moved him 30 places up the rankings into eighth.

The low-Dane honours at the Made in Denmark Challenge went to Benjamin Poke, who set the clubhouse target of 20-under and finished in a tie for third with Dutchman Daan Huizing.

Another notable performance from the Danish contingent came from 21-year-old amateur John Axelsen, who finished tied-fifth on 19-under.

The University of Florida student formed part of the Denmark’s first winning team at last year’s World Amateur Team Championships, playing with rising Challenge Tour stars Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard.

Hampshire’s Richard Bland, who shot a superb 61 on Friday, to jump to the top of the leaderboard, could only card a level-par 72 while Hoylake’s Matthew Jordan, who was also bidding for a second win of the season, shot 70 to finish fifth.

The Royal Liverpool member was one of five players to share the overnight lead alongside Hill and Sjoholm, Bland and Finland’s Roope Kakko, who dropped to 10th after a final round 71.

•The Challenge Tour will now travel to the innovative ISPS Handa World Invitational Men | Women, which is being presented by Nial Horan’s Modest! Golf Management company.

The ground-breaking event will mark the first time that men and women in Europe will compete in one tournament for equal prize funds.

It will take place at Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort, in Northern Ireland, from August 15-18.

Ironically, Hill won his first European Challenge Tour event in just his fifth start of his professional career, at Galgorm a year ago, when it hosted the Northern Ireland Open.

•For the full results of the Made in Denmark Challenge click here.

The post Hill dreams of automatic promotion to European Tour definitely Made in Denmark appeared first on Golf North.

Wellingboro Golf Club’s Meghan Maclaren in the third round of Jordan Mixed Open, at Ayla Golf Club. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MEGHAN MacLaren could not produce her second win in a month – and more importantly this time against a field of men – as she lost out to Holland’s Daan Huizing in the ground-breaking Jordan Mixed Open, on Saturday.

Having been an outspoken critic of the disparities in prize money between men and women’s golf in the build-up to the event, the Wellingboro GC member was proud of her display as she missed out by a couple of shots.

Meghan, who led the unique 54-hole format tournament by two shots going into the last day, said: “I’m obviously pretty disappointed not to win this week, having been in such a good position.

“But it was still an honour to be here and represent women’s golf alongside two other great tours. It was pretty tight coming down the last few holes, so I think it was great entertainment for everybody watching.

“It was a great concept but none of us really knew how it would pan out. The way the scores panned out throughout the week showed that it absolutely can work with the right thought process and course set-up if people do the research.

“Female golfers have done ourselves proud this week and it’s been a great environment to be in with all three tours. It’s been an honour to be here and it was a great concept and one that I hope can catch on in the future.

“The research that went into it played out with the scores because it was pretty comparable across the three tours, so I’d like to see it happen more often. I think they did a great job considering that it was the first time that something has been done like this – and I think that’s a great sign for the future.”

“In some ways, it felt like just another tournament, trying to get the best score possible at the end of the week. It’s definitely interesting to have different golfers alongside us.

“There are things that the guys can do and we can’t but there are things that the girls do better than the men as well. It was definitely interesting and something that could happen more often.

“It’s not so much frustration as disappointment. It hurts, but that’s golf sometimes. Golf happened. I missed a couple of putts, which doesn’t help and hit a couple of bad shots at bad times.

“You can’t afford to do things like that. It can change so quickly and everyone who plays golf knows that.

“It hurts to not win, but I know, when I get home and think about it, I’ll be proud of what I’ve done this week and I hope that I’ve represented the LET and women’s golf in general as well as possible.

“It deserves a bit of a spotlight and if this kicks things up a bit, then I’m proud of what’s happened.”

Jordan Mixed Open declared a success by Higginbottom

Tournament director Simon Higginbottom believes the experiment of having a third of the field from the LET, the European Challenge Tour and the Staysure Seniors Tour, playing off different tees to match up their games, had been a total success.

He said: “When something has never been done before it is difficult to know how it will play out. Before the tournament began, we had the ability to analyse average stroke distances for all categories of players.

“But matching that to the course architecture and set up on this course, this week, to create the fairest possible playing field for all competitors, was our main challenge.

“We had incredible support from all of the players in the field, who allowed us to collect invaluable data from this week, which we can scrutinise in future weeks to get an even clearer picture of how this can be done again.”

The chairman of Ayla Golf Club, Khaled Masri, was also a happy man after the ground-breaking tournament.

He said: “We are really pleased with the great success the Jordan Mixed Open by Ayla has achieved.

“This first-of-its-kind international golf tournament has attracted many golf enthusiasts from around the globe, effectively placing Jordan on the map of major golf events internationally.

“We hope to maintain this growing trend and will continue to welcome new global and regional championships to our world-class golf course.”

•For the full results in the Jordan Mixed Open click here.

Dutchman Daan Huizing with the Jordan Mixed Open trophy. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

The post Meghan MacLaren disappointed to be overtaken in Jordan thriller appeared first on Golf North.

Challenge Tour winner Daan Huizing who held off Ladies European Tour star Meghan MacLaren to claim the first-ever Jordan Mixed Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

DAAN Huizing made golfing history by becoming the first player to win a full-field mixed professional tournament with his triumph at the Jordan Mixed Open.

The Dutchman began the final round at Ayla Golf Club two shots behind overnight leader Meghan MacLaren, who opened the world-first tournament with consecutive rounds of 65 to get to 14-under par.

MacLaren started the final day strong, carding two birdies on her first three holes, but Huizing was able to slowly chip away at the Englishwoman’s lead, and by the time the two golfers reached the 13th tee, they were deadlocked on 14 under par.

The stage was set for a never-before-seen battle down the stretch between a male and female golfer competing for the same first prize.

In the end, it was Huizing who came out on top as he converted three crucial birdies on the closing holes and signed for a four under par 68, which gave him a two-stroke victory.

The win was an emotional one for the 28-year-old, who admitted it was a tough off-season after he narrowly missed out on a European Tour card at last year’s Challenge Tour Grand Final.

“I’m buzzing. It’s a big moment for me. I’ve had a rough time at home recently so this is a really sweet way to prove to myself that I’ve got it. The belief in myself and the people around me, my team and my family, I’m really grateful for their support. I’m honoured. I think it’s an historic event.

The Dutchman who won twice in his first season on the Challenge Tour in 2013, said: “To be the inaugural winner — it’s a special moment. I think it’s a great initiative.

“It was great fun playing in a final group with a Challenge Tour player, a senior tour player and a lady player. It was a great battle.

“It’s a different vibe and very special to be the first winner and I hope it’s something that can be continued in the future.

“I went into the day with a pretty open mind and I knew it was going to take a low round, someone was going to shoot low today. I had a pretty rough start and lipped out a couple of putts for birdie and holed a couple of good ones for par on two and three.

“It wasn’t easy and I didn’t play great. I had a few loose ones to the right yesterday and today again, but I battled really well.

“Mentally I was in really good shape and that’s what got me through. I stuck to my processes, stayed patient and Meghan was playing really, really well.

“She holed a couple of big putts on the front nine but left the door open for me on 10 and 11 and I answered with two really good birdies on 12 and 13.

“The buzz and tension down the stretch was great. It was a fight and it wasn’t pretty at times, but it was a great experience and really valuable going forwards as well.

“There are a huge amount of positives that I can take from this,” added the player who claimed the presitigious Lytham and St Andrews Links trophies in his last season as an amateur in 2012, a rare feat in itself.

MacLaren finished the Jordan Mixed Open alone in second place — two shots clear of Martin Simonsen, who matched the Ayla Golf Club course record with a final round of 64, which moved him 17 places up the leaderboard and into third place.

Forty players from each of the European Challenge Tour, the Staysure Tour and the Ladies European Tour, plus three amateurs, made up the 123-player field and will forever be remembered as a game-changing tournament.

The final grouping comprised of one player from each of the three Tours, and of the 66 players that made the cut, 20 represented the Ladies European Tour, 21 were from the Staysure Tour and 25 were from the Challenge Tour.

In addition, the back nine battle for the win between MacLaren and Huizing created tense drama all the way to the end.

Players from all three Tours were represented in the top five. The best performer from the over-50s contingent was José Coceres of Argentina who finished in a tie for fourth place alongside Challenge Tour players Jack Senior and Oliver Farr.

Thorough research was performed by tournament officials before the event began.

Data on driving distance, approach shot distance, club selection and scoring was collected after each round, and will provide crucial findings to all three tours.

The low-amateur competitor, Emilie Paltrinieri of Italy, carded rounds of 70, 74, 73 to finish the tournament on one-over.

The post Huizing back in the winner’s circle in Jordan appeared first on Golf North.

Meghan MacLaren leads the first Jordan Mixed Open after shooting a second successive 65 at the Ayla Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MEGHAN MacLaren picked up where she left off by carding a second consecutive 65 and will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Jordan Mixed Open, on Saturday.

The Northamptonshire-based pro, who is a champion for the strength of the women’s professional game, has carded 15 birdies and only one bogey through two rounds as her game continues to personify her larger message to the golfing world.

Sitting on 14-under par, the 23-year-old from Wellingboro GC, will look to make history as the first champion in mixed professional golf.

A win would be her second victory of the year, and add to her Solheim Cup points total, after she successfully defended her Women’s NSW Open title in February.

Meghan, whose father David heads the Seniors Tour, said: “There’s a lot of other stuff going on, and I’m proud of the position all three tours have put themselves in, and proud for golf as a whole for this tournament.

“But tomorrow is going to be completely about my own game and trying to get the best score possible out there.

“It looks like a pretty even split with all the players making the cut, which would have been exactly what the tour representatives and the people setting the course up would have wanted, and with a player from each tour in the last group, they couldn’t have written it any better than that.

“I think it’s a testament to the amount of research that has gone into it and that the people running the tournament know about golf. This isn’t just some gimmick, like ‘oh let’s see if this works.’

“There’s been a lot of thought into it and I’m happy it’s playing out like this. I think that’s only going to be encouraging for the future.

“I think this shows that women’s golf has more than a leg to stand on, and if I can prove a point in that regard, then that’s an added bonus.”

“I work hard because I just love golf, it’s not really anything more than that. I guess working hard is just part of my make-up and it’s part of what makes me a good player.

“There’s something nice about when there’s not many people around and you know you’re putting work in, but it’s got to be work that is of benefit to you and not everybody does that.”

Two shots behind MacLaren on 12-under is European Challenge Tour player Daan Huizing, who signed for a second round 68. The Dutchman matched the Ayla Golf Club course-record on Thursday with his a 64 and will now chase his own place in history in tomorrow’s final round.

Dan, who won twice in his rookie season on the Challenge Tour in 2013, but has not won since, said: “There are a couple of things I need to smooth out but I’m happy with how I’m conducting myself and I’m in a good position for tomorrow.

“The goal is to go out and win the thing. That is what we play for and what we practise for.

“I managed my way around quite well and the putts were good. It was the total opposite breeze today from yesterday so every hole was playing differently.

“The par fives, which were down wind and playing easy yesterday were into the wind today. I’ll make some notes from that. I’ve seen the course from both directions now, so whatever happens tomorrow, I’ll be prepared.”

Joining MacLaren and Huizing in the final group is 2018 Staysure Tour Rookie of the Year, Paul Streeter. The 52-year-old from Lincoln signed for rounds of 66 and 70, which puts him in a three-way tie for third place alongside Challenge Tour players Jack Senior, from Lancashire and Wales’ Oliver Farr.

Since Streeter was the first of the three players to complete his second round, he has the honour of playing in the final grouping. As a result, one player from each cohort will engage in golf’s first three-Tour battle down the stretch as they all vie to become the inaugural winner of the Jordan Mixed Open.

Streeter, who won twice in his first full season last year on the over 50s tour, said: “Score-wise, it was as much as I deserved. I didn’t play great and struggled a bit off the tee. I struggled with the pace of the greens and had a couple of three putts out there. Overall, I’d take that.

“Beth Allen was brilliant to play with. She’s a great golfer. She shot a few over each day but she played so much better than that. I really enjoyed it.

“It’s nice to see the ladies play golf, because I think I knew one female professional golfer before this week, and they’re not in the league of what Beth is, so it was great to play with her and see what she does.”

A world-first, the Jordan Mixed Open sees 40 players from each of the Challenge Tour, the Staysure Tour and the Ladies European Tour to competing for the same trophy.

The 36-hole cut will  reduce the field to a total of 66 players for the final round. Of those 66 players, there are 20 representing the Ladies European Tour, 21 from the Staysure Tour and 25 from the Challenge Tour.

The even split of players, and the composition of the final grouping is yet another victory for the future of mixed professional golf.

The important collection of data continued on day two. Driving distances, approach shot distances, competitors’ club selections and individual hole scoring averages were recorded, and the growing data sample will once again inform the course set-up for the final round.

Challenge Tour players have been competing from approximately 7,100 yards, with Staysure Tour players playing from 6,601 yards and Ladies European Tour players from 6,139 yards. Adjustments are made each day based on wind direction and overall weather conditions.

The final round of the historic Jordan Mixed Open begins at 10:30 am BST, on Saturday, with the final grouping of MacLaren, Huizing and Streeter set to go at 14:16 pm UK time.

The post MacLaren accelerating towards Jordan finish line appeared first on Golf North.

Wellingboro’s Meghan MacLaren, who shot a superb 65 in the first round of the Jordan Mixed Open, at Ayla Golf Club. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

DAAN Huizing will forever hold a small place in history as the first overnight leader of the Jordan Mixed Open on eight-under par – but it was the LET’s Meghan MacLaren who did the most to make the unique format an instant success.

The Dutchman birdied half of the holes at Ayla Golf Club against only one bogey to card an opening round of 64.

The sublime score gave Huizing a one-shot advantage over two golfers from England — fellow Challenge Tour player Jack Senior and Ladies European Tour player Meghan MacLaren.

The first day at the Jordan Mixed saw the first use in the world of a format allowing men, women and senior golfers to compete in the same field.

MacLaren, who has been a vocal advocate for the strength of the women’s professional game, wasted no time in backing up her words.

She carded birdies on her first two holes and rode the momentum to post the early target of seven-under.

When the high winds forecast for the afternoon failed to materialise, several players, including Huizing, Senior and 2018 Staysure Tour Rookie of the Year Paul Streeter took advantage.

MacLaren, who successfully defended her Women’s New South Wales Open title last month, was delighted with her start.

She said: “If I’m going to write about it and talk about it all the time, then I’d better back it up with my golf.

“I’m delighted to do it in this tournament, particularly. Hopefully it will send a bit of a message.

“But any time you shoot seven-under in a tournament, you’re not going to be too far off the lead. Hopefully this means a few more people will be watching.

“Given everything I’ve talked about over the last few months, it is nice to back it up. But I didn’t want to put any extra pressure on myself. I’ve been saying to everybody that the girls’ standard of play will show if the course is set up properly.

“I’m just happy with how I’ve played and if that puts me near the top against the guys, then that’s just a bonus, really.”

Dutchman Daan Huzing tees off at the par five ninth in the first round of the Jordan Mixed Open, at Ayla Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Huizing, who won the Lythan Trophy and St Andrews Links Trophy in 2012 before turning pro after playing in his second Eisenhower Trophy at that year’s World Amateur Team Championship, in Turkey, said: “It was a really nice round. I was hitting it nicely and made some nice putts to keep the round going as well.

“I enjoyed it. It was pretty chilled and it was good fun,” added the two-time winner on the Challenge Tour, whose victories both in his maiden season in 2013.

“It’s a different perspective to play with the seniors and play with the ladies. It was a nice, relaxed day, and I think being relaxed helped me play well.

“It will be interesting to see after three days what the findings are, but it was fun.

“We never see the seniors or the ladies because the tournaments are never together, and to hear what they do and how their Tours are, it’s good for us to hear because we normally just see the same guys every week.”

Streeter’s six-under 66 was the low-round among the over-50s contingent and placed the Lincoln golfer firmly in the mix with two rounds to go.

He said: “It was brilliant out there. I really enjoyed it. I think the tees were fairly good and I think we were very close to each other on most holes.

“A few were different but that also depends on how you strike it and the slopes you land on, but it seemed to work really well. It’s a great format and it’s something new for everybody.”

Senior, from Lancashire was also happy with his day’s work, saying: “I think you’ve got to enjoy this format, but it’s hard to know how it’s all going to pan out at the end of the week.

“I’m sure, though, that it will be a successful event and continue to be.”

The innovative tournament sees 40 players from each of the Challenge Tour, the over-50s Staysure Tour and the Ladies European Tour compete for the same trophy over 54 holes.

With the golfing community eager to see how the course set-up would play out, the opening round of the Jordan Mixed Open was a great success with players from all three Tours in contention and well-represented inside the projected cut line of even par.

Challenge Tour players played the first round from approximately 7,100 yards, Staysure Tour players from 6,601 yards and Ladies European Tour players from 6,139 yards.

The unofficial battle for low-couple is heating up with LET Order of Merit leader Marianne Skarpnord and her fiancée, Challenge Tour player Richard Green, combining for a two-under total, while married golfers Kyle Henry of the Ladies European Tour and Scott Henry of the Challenge Tour combined for a one-over total.

Mr Henry said: “I’m sure something along these lines would be great for both the guys and the girls.

“It’s been exciting, it’s been a definite atmosphere for all of us. It’s been good fun and its definitely something where a format along these lines is good for everybody.”

And Mrs Henry, who was prepared to wager some household chores on who would come out on top, added: “It’s been a really fun week and it’s just nice to be at a tournament together because usually the Tours are in different countries and sometimes different continents.

“Scott knew the course quite well, and I didn’t manage to get a practice round, so he was really good at giving me a few tips here and there on how to play the course smartly.”

Tournament officials collected data on driving distance, approach shot distance and club selection from every player who competed on day one and will incorporate their findings into the course set-up for Day Two to continue to ensure the fairest possible playing field for all competitors.

The second round of the Jordan Mixed Open presented by Ayla will begin tomorrow at 7:30 am local time before the 123-player field is reduced to the top 60 players and ties for the final day.

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