SO many players took route 66 in the Leeds Cup that they caused a logjam.
Five headed that way in the pro-am and an astonishing eight followed them to take pole position in the first round.
It was a situation believed to be unprecedented in the PGA North Region but the Cobble Hall course, where professional golf’s oldest trophy was instigated in 1902, is noted for springing a few surprises.
Last year there was a four-way play-off which stretched to six extra holes - and no-one is betting against that not happening again.
PGA Cup player Will Barnes lived up to his pre-tournament favourite billing with the steadiest round of the day which featured three birdies and 15 pars.
“I had a couple of putts lip out but I was happy with my score because this was my first sight of the course,” said the Lancaster-based teaching pro whose boss at the Garstang academy, Paul Eales, trailed him by two shots.
Lee Rooke, a 30-year-old assistant at Vale of Llangollen, was early clubhouse leader and attributed his success to keeping out of the trees, which flank every fairway, and holing medium length putts.
Half the front-runners were Yorkshire players. Dore & Totley’s Neil Cheetham, taking a break from the South Africa tour, ran up a triple bogey seven at the fourth when his approach shot ran through the green and ended under a tree but he repaired the damage with an eagle and three birdies.
Fraser Kelley, from Malton & Norton, birdied the final hole to join the pack which included Hillsborough’s Mark Allen and Adam Davison, from Waterton Park.
Graeme Lisle kept the North East flag flying, the Carlisle man also picking up a shot at the last but James Salt, from Ashton-under-Lyne, was on course to take the outright lead until he double bogeyed the 16th after racking up five birdies in his first eight holes.
LEADING SCORES: 66 Lee Rooke (Vale of Llangollen), Neil Cheetham (Dore & Totley), Mark Allen (Hillsborough), James Salt (Ashton-under-Lyne), Fraser Kelley (Malton & Norton), Graeme Lisle (Carlisle), Adam Davison (Waterton Park), Will Barnes (Garstang); 67 John Wells (Cherry Burton), Joseph Feather (Leeds Golf Centre), David Astin (Woodsome Hall), David Wilcox (Gathurst), Andrew Barnett (North Wales DR); 68 Gary Brown (Ganton), George Cowan (Westerhope), David Clark (Morpeth), Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall), Paul Eales (Garstang), John Fisher (Huyton & Prescot), Michael Nesbit (Westerhope), David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), Richard Bean (Aldersley Green), Nick Ludwell (Selby), Laurie Turner (Scalm Park), Greg Hyde (Grange Park Muni). Stephen McNally (De Vere Oulton Hall), Chris Clarke (Waterfront Golf).
It was a situation believed to be unprecedented in the PGA North Region but the Cobble Hall course, where professional golf’s oldest trophy was instigated in 1902, is noted for springing a few surprises.
Last year there was a four-way play-off which stretched to six extra holes - and no-one is betting against that not happening again.
PGA Cup player Will Barnes lived up to his pre-tournament favourite billing with the steadiest round of the day which featured three birdies and 15 pars.
“I had a couple of putts lip out but I was happy with my score because this was my first sight of the course,” said the Lancaster-based teaching pro whose boss at the Garstang academy, Paul Eales, trailed him by two shots.
Lee Rooke, a 30-year-old assistant at Vale of Llangollen, was early clubhouse leader and attributed his success to keeping out of the trees, which flank every fairway, and holing medium length putts.
Half the front-runners were Yorkshire players. Dore & Totley’s Neil Cheetham, taking a break from the South Africa tour, ran up a triple bogey seven at the fourth when his approach shot ran through the green and ended under a tree but he repaired the damage with an eagle and three birdies.
Fraser Kelley, from Malton & Norton, birdied the final hole to join the pack which included Hillsborough’s Mark Allen and Adam Davison, from Waterton Park.
Graeme Lisle kept the North East flag flying, the Carlisle man also picking up a shot at the last but James Salt, from Ashton-under-Lyne, was on course to take the outright lead until he double bogeyed the 16th after racking up five birdies in his first eight holes.
LEADING SCORES: 66 Lee Rooke (Vale of Llangollen), Neil Cheetham (Dore & Totley), Mark Allen (Hillsborough), James Salt (Ashton-under-Lyne), Fraser Kelley (Malton & Norton), Graeme Lisle (Carlisle), Adam Davison (Waterton Park), Will Barnes (Garstang); 67 John Wells (Cherry Burton), Joseph Feather (Leeds Golf Centre), David Astin (Woodsome Hall), David Wilcox (Gathurst), Andrew Barnett (North Wales DR); 68 Gary Brown (Ganton), George Cowan (Westerhope), David Clark (Morpeth), Craig Corrigan (Haigh Hall), Paul Eales (Garstang), John Fisher (Huyton & Prescot), Michael Nesbit (Westerhope), David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), Richard Bean (Aldersley Green), Nick Ludwell (Selby), Laurie Turner (Scalm Park), Greg Hyde (Grange Park Muni). Stephen McNally (De Vere Oulton Hall), Chris Clarke (Waterfront Golf).
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