Conor O’Rourke is off to a fine start at the Clutch Pro Tour Caversham event near Reading in southern England.
The Naas native started his day on the 10th tee and came flying from the traps, reeling off five birdies on his opening nine holes to set a blistering pace. He couldn’t keep the momentum up on the front side, however, but traded a bogey and a birdie to reach the clubhouse at -5 which would be good for a tie for fourth at the end of day one.
The quarter of Daniel Brennan, Niall Kearney, Rowan Lester and Liam Grehan all shot matching rounds of one-under to lie tied for 28th, one shot ahead of John Ross Galbraith who sits on level par.
All six are inside the provisional cutline which is currently set at even, so Rowan Lester on +5 will need to go low on day two if he’s to see third round action, while Scott Montgomery is well off the pace and will be playing for pride in tomorrow’s second round.
Englishman John Gough whose parents both hail from County Meath, has sole possession of the first round lead after an exceptional 10-under 62 that included 11 birdies and a solitary bogey on the 16th.
He enjoys a four-shot lead over Daniel Smith and Giles Evans, with O’Rourke among the trio a further shot back at -5.