Wiltshire’s Ben Stow believes a six-week break In July after an injury, has left him feeling fresher for the China leg of the European Challenge Tour. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

WILTSHIRE’S Ben Stow celebrated his birthday in style by setting a new course record of 64 at Foshan Golf Club to lead the Foshan Open by one stroke after the opening day.

The 28-year-old sits one shot ahead of Germany’s Alexander Knappe, who would have joined Stow as holder of the course record of eight-under par, if not for a closing bogey to leave him on seven-under.

Another six players share third place on six-under, including 2017 Champion Oliver Farr.

Stow, playing in the first group of the day off the 10th tee, bounced back from a double bogey on the 17th hole – his eighth – with a birdie to make the turn in two-under.

The 2013 Brabazon Trophy winner then notched five consecutive gains from the second to the sixth, which catapulted him to the top of the leaderboard.

And a closing birdie saw him beat the existing course record of 65, set by Wales’ Rhys Davies and Aussie Scott Arnold.

Stow, alongside playing partners Wil Besseling and Simon Hawkes, raced around Foshan Golf Club, with their front nine taking just one hour and 50 minutes and Stow spoke of how much he enjoyed the pace of play.

“It was great to play so quickly,” Stow said. “We played the front nine in one hour and 50 minutes, which in tournament golf is unheard-of,” revealed Stow, who is currently 26th on the Road to Mallorca.

“It was great. We were out first and with Wil and Simon – none of us are slow – we didn’t really rush. We just played when we were ready. It was really enjoyable actually.

“I played great and putted well so I’m really chuffed. I’ve been working really hard recently so it’s nice to get some results,” said Stow, who was a member at Rushmore GC, on the Hampshire-Wiltshire border, as a junior.

The 2011 Faldo Series UK winner would love a top 15 finish to the season to earn promotion to the European Tour and join former Wiltshire team-mate Jordan Smith.

Stow added: “I played really solid and I just hit one bad tee shot down 17. Where I left my approach shot left me with a very, very fast putt and I just missed it coming back.

“I knew I was playing well and on 18 the wind was down when we played it. So I managed to get it quite a long way up 18 and then I easily made the green in two – then it was a good two-putt.”

The 2018 Prague Golf Challenge winner missed a period of time earlier this year through injury, having also suffered a serious knee injury before his breakthrough win a year ago.

But despite the frustration of being side-lined at the time, Stow admits he is now reaping the benefits of the enforced mid-season break.

“Traditionally I haven’t played very well in China, but I had six weeks off this year with an injury in July, and right now, I think it’s a bit of a saving grace because I feel fresh and quite chilled out,” said Stow, who spent four years playing for Kentucky University’s Wildcats.

“In previous years I’ve always played quite a lot and then got here and felt quite tired. So maybe the moral of the story is take a month off in July.”

Joining Farr in a tie for third place on six-under is Australia’s Cory Crawford, Royal Liverpool’s Italian Challenge Open Eneos Motor Oil Champion Matthew Jordan, Finland’s Roope Kakko, Kent’s Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge winner Steven Tiley and Italy’s Aron Zemmer.

Rounding off the top 10 in a tie for ninth place on five-under is Portugal’s Ricardo Santos and China’s Liu Yanwei, who is currently the leading Chinese player.

•The second round of the Foshan Open begins at 6.55am local time on Friday, with leader Stow due off at 11.10am.

To follow live scoring click here.

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Royal Cinque Ports’ Steven Tiley completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France, on Sunday, beating Hampshire’s Richard Bland by a shot.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steve Tiley claimed his first win on the European Challenge Tour with a wire-to-wire victory at Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge.

The Englishman, playing his 11th season on the Challenge Tour, finished runner-up to last year’s wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy.

But 12 months later the former Georgia State University golfer went one better – recording a final one-over par round of 72, for an 11-under par total that sealed a maiden victory by just a shot.

After opening rounds of 64-68-69, the 36-year-old, who lives in Canterbury, held off the challenge from Hampshire veteran Richard Bland to become the third successive Englishman to lift the trophy at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, following in the footsteps of Essex’s McEvoy and Aaron Rai.

Tiley, who played for England as an amateur in 2004 and 2005, said: “It sounds fantastic. I came close last year and finished runner-up to my good friend Maccas, so it was nice to seal the deal this year.

“I was feeling nervous on the first tee. I’d slept on the lead for the last two nights, and that is always hard because you wake up thinking about the different scenarios.

“It’s a tough tee shot on the first hole and I didn’t want to put myself in the bunker or up the lip of it.

“It was a nervous start and I was pretty nervous all day, but I slowly got into the round, playing a few holes without nerves helped a lot,” added the Royal Cinque Ports member.

Tiley’s final round featured four bogeys alongside three birdies as he clinched the victory. However, it was his short game which helped him claim a memorable triumph at a favourable venue.

“I think I only missed five putts inside 10 feet all week, so I holed out really well, which was great,” said Tiley, who beat the likes of fellow future European Tour players Steve Lewton, from Woburn and Surrey’s Ross McGowan to land the South East Schools Championship in 2001 at Welwyn Garden City, the Hertfordshire club where Sir Nick Faldo learned to play the game.

Tiley said: “There were a lot of key saves, but the birdie on 10 was pretty good and that helped me take charge a little bit.

“Early in the round the chip on the eighth was good and that steadied the ship.

“The greens are so small that if you miss them you end up in the rough, which is very difficult, because sometimes the ball will fly and sometimes it’ll end up short. But I played that chip nicely and holed the five-foot putt.”

Earlier in the tournament, Tiley had raced out of the blocks with seven birdies – incluidng five in his first eight holes – in his first round to join Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist at the top of the leaderboard.

Tiley, who had fellow Kent pro Matt Ford in the chasing pack until he faded to finish sixth after a 73, admitted: “It’s been quite a struggle so far this year, so it was nice to come here and start like that.

“If you can limit your mistakes in this game that always helps, so that helped in making a good start.

“I think this course suits my game. I was hitting the ball relatively straight and keeping it in play, and because of that you get a lot of wedge shots, and I’m pretty useful with a wedge in my hand.

“I’ve been practising a little bit more on my strengths within my game and that has shown.”

Bland, whose only Tour win came in the Challenge Tour Grand Final back in 2001, recorded a three-under par 68 to finish runner-up to Tiley, while home favourite Grégory Havret – aiming to become the first French winner of the event – finished a further stroke back in third place on nine-under.

Tiley’s best finish of the season before France had been a share of 45th place in his very first event of the year in the Magical Kenya Open, on the European Tour, which earned him €5,390.

He had missed four cuts in 10 starts on the Challenge Tour and earned just over €3,000 before picking up a cheque for €33,600.

Now he has every chance to earn a full card with 13 more events to compete in before the season’s climax for the top 45 players competing in the 2019 Grand Final.

The top 15 in the European Challenge Tour Order of Merit after the Grand Final, in November, will earn a full card on the European Tour in 2020.

With his win, Tiley jumped up the season-long Challenge Tour Rankings from 126th to 11th, while Bland – who lost his card last season after finishing 163rd on the Race to Dubai – returns to second position.

Bland, who has played 450 times on the Euorpean Tour and sits third in the all-time list of players to have played the most events without a victory with Ross Drummond (490) and David Drysdale (451)

Meanwhile Havret – who finsished runner-up to Graeme McDowell in the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach, jumped to eighth place from 25th.

The post Tiley takes top spot right to the wire to claim maiden win at Le Vaudreuil Challenge appeared first on Golf North.

Royal Cinque Ports’ Steven Tiley needed all the skills learned as a links player in Kent to cope with the wind in the third round of the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steven Tiley will take a three-shot lead into the final round of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge as he goes in search of his first European Challenge Tour title.

The Englishman, who is playing in his 11th season on the Challenge Tour, leads after 54-holes for the first time.

The Royal Cinque Ports player is in pole position to clinch his first title on tour after recording a two-under par round of 69, to stay in front in France.

Tiley began the third day with a three-shot advantage after opening rounds of 64 and 68, and continued his impressive form at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, where he finished runner-up to last year’s wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy.

A bogey on the third hole was the 36-year-old former England amateur international’s only blemish on the front nine as he made back-to-back birdies from the seventh hole to reach the turn at one-under.

A birdie on the par five 12th preserved his lead before he followed that up with three successive pars.

After a bogey on the 16th Tiley’s lead dropped to two strokes, however, he bounced back with his third birdie of the week on the 18th hole to sign for a round of 69 and maintain his three-shot advantage over the field.

With 18 holes left to play and a debut Challenge Tour win within touching distance, Tiley is trying to remain calm and concentrate on his game.

“The birdie on 18 could be crucial,” he said. “I’ve got to go out tomorrow and take care of my own business and not worry about anyone else and see if it’s good enough at the end.

“I’m excited for tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it,” said Tiley, who grew up playing on Kent’s three championship links courses that have hosted The Open – Prince’s, Royal St George’s and his home course in Deal.

“It was tough out there today,” Tiley added. “It was pretty windy, and it was tough playing with a lead. I held it together and got up-and-down when I needed to, so overall, pretty happy.

“I hit some loose shots at start but hit good shots on seven and eight to make birdies and made a good save on nine. I got a little bit nervous towards the end but managed to birdie the last after a good wedge shot.”

England’s Dave Coupland and Dutchman Darius van Driel, who clinched his first Challenge Tour win at the 2018 Euram Bank Open, sit in a share of second place, hoping to chase down Tiley, after recording rounds of 69 and 68, respectively.

Grégory Havret, a three-time European Tour winner, leads the charge on home soil following his 69, including a birdie-birdie finish to join another Kent player Matt Ford in a tie for fourth place on an eight-under total.

Also in the chasing pack is Hampshire’s former European Tour veteran Richard Bland, whose only victory in 23 years on Tour came in the Challenge Tour Grand Final back in 2001.

The final round will start at 7:20am local time with Tiley going in search of victory from 12:30pm. Follow lives scores here.

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Steven Tiley, from Kent’s Royal Cinque Ports, has never held a 36-hole lead in 11 years playing on the European Challenge Tour, but is three shots clear at the halfway point in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge where he was second a year ago. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steven Tiley leads by three shots at the halfway stage of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil.

The Englishman, who finished runner-up to last year’s wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy, followed up his opening round of 64 with a three-under par round of 68 to break away from the chasing pack at the end of day two.

Tiley has never led a European Challenge Tour event after two rounds after 11 seasons of trying.

But the 36-year-old showed why the Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil course is a favourite of his by recording a second sub-70 round for a 10-under total.

An early bogey on his second hole – the 11th – to begin the round did not phase him as he made six consecutive pars before holing a long birdie putt on the 18th.

Tiley then surged ahead after the turn, making gains on the third, fifth and seventh holes to extend his lead over the chasing pack to three strokes.

With 36 holes left to play and a debut Challenge Tour victory in sight, Tiley was pleased with his second round work at Le Vaudreuil.

“I played okay on my front nine – the back nine,” said Tiley. “The back nine is quite tricky and it’s a lot longer than last year and the wind was swirling a little bit this morning, but I played well.

“I holed a good putt for birdie on 18 from about 30 foot to go out level par,” added the Royal Cinque Ports member, who turned pro in 2007 after a golf scholarship at Georgia State University.

“On the first I made a really good up-and-down, then on the second I made an unbelievable par and that steadied the ship for a little bit.

“I made a couple of birdies coming in thanks to some good wedge shots, so overall, it’s a pleasing round.

“I think this course suits my game. I was hitting the ball relatively straight and keeping it in play, and because of that you get a lot of wedge shots, and I’m pretty useful with a wedge in my hand.

“I’ve been practising a little bit more on my strengths within my game leading up to this week and that has shown so far.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in contention going into the weekend, so I’m looking forward to it and I’ll see what I can do.”

Fellow overnight leader Robin Sciot-Siegrist dropped down the leaderboard after a two-over par 73, as a group of four players sit three shots behind Tiley.

English pair Dave Coupland and fellow Kent pro Matt Ford, South Africa’s Bryce Easton and Spain’s Santiago Tarrio Ben share second place on seven-under.

Three-time European Tour winner Grégory Havret, who won the European Amateur Championship 20 years ago, is one of four players a further stroke back as the three-time French Amateur Champion leads the host nation charge at the seventh edition of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge.

•The third round will begin at 7.40am local time on Saturday morning with Tiley teeing off at 12.50pm. Follow live scoring here

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Royal Cinque Ports’ Steven Tiley shared the first round lead in the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge in France after an excellent seven-under par 64. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

KENT’S Steven Tiley and Robin Sciot-Siegrist hold a one-shot lead at Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge at the end of round one having carded bogey-free rounds of 64, to top the leaderboard on seven-under par.

Both players made seven birdies during their opening round at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil to share the lead ahead of French pair and European Tour winners Grégory Bourdy and Grégory Havret.

Tiley finished runner-up to wire-to-wire champion Richard McEvoy last year and continued his impressive form on the Le Vaudreuil layout, recording five birdies in his first eight holes.

The Royal Cinque Ports player maintained his consistency on the back nine with two further gains, including one of the 18th to join Sciot-Siegrist in the lead.

“I’m very pleased with today,” said Tiley, who is in his 11th season on the Challenge Tour and has earned his card at the European Tour Qualifying School twice, since turning pro in 2007.

“It’s been quite a struggle so far this year, so it was nice to come here and start like that,” said Tiley, who qualified for the 2004 Open at Royal Troon, as an amateur.

“If you can limit your mistakes in this game that always helps, so that helped in making a good start,” added the former Georgia State University graduate who played for England in 2004 and 2005.

Robin Sciot-Siegrist is looking to add to his sole Euorpean Challenge Tour win in 2017 at the Galgorm Resort & Spa Northern Ireland Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Sciot-Siegrist, winner of the 2017 Galgorm Resort & Spa Northern Ireland Open, got off to a quick start with back-to-back birdies on the second and third holes, before following suit with further gains on the sixth and seventh, making the turn at four-under.

The trend of consecutive birdies continued on the back nine, as the 25-year-old extended his advantage on the 12th and 13th and gained his final shot of the day with a delicate up-and-down birdie on the last to lead in the clubhouse at seven under par.

“It was a good round of golf and I played really well throughout the round,” said Sciot-Siegrist. “I made lots of birdies and played really well.

“I thought I was good off the tee and my putting was pretty good as well. I hit a lot of fairways and greens, which helped my chances with the putter, and overall, everything was great.

“It was one of those days where it was great to be on the golf course. The up-and-down felt really good because seven under is quite a low score.

“I was really happy to make the putt on 18 to keep momentum going into tomorrow and hopefully go as low as possible over the next few days.”

Bourdy, who is playing his first full European Challenge Tour season since 2004, signed for a round of 65 to sit one stroke off the leaders, while compatriot Havret lies a further shot back following his five-under round of 66.

The second round of Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge gets under way at 7:40am local time with Tiley teeing off at 9:10am and Sciot-Siegrist at 1:30pm.

•Follow lives scoring today and over the weekend here.

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