GEORGE Cowan mastered a testing wind and slick greens to post an opening round of three-under-par 68 for a two shot lead in the Thompson Davis PGA North Region Championship at Marriott Hollins Hall.
The 29-year-old Westerhope professional would have put even more space between himself and the chasing pack of five players but for a couple of lapses on the home stretch. “I missed the green with my approach to the 16th then drove into the thistles on the next hole,” he explained.
But Cowan, whose one other bogey came at the second, more than compensated for his mistakes with four birdies on the outward half and an eagle at the 365-yard 12th which he drove comfortably before draining a five-foot putt. “I’m glad I got that on the card because the back nine was tough,” he added.
The same stretch clearly did not present a problem for David Shacklady, the most prolific player on the regional circuit despite his failure to win an Order of Merit title in 20 years of trying.
The Mossock Hall man started his round at the 10th and was four-under-par for seven holes before erring on the 18th. He then dropped four more strokes, offset by a brace of birdies in his 70.
On the same mark was past champion Robert Wragg, from Hallowes, who was on course for the outright lead until he ran up a treble bogey on the ninth, his last hole, after his four iron tee-shot plunged into a rocky outcrop. "I had to take the punishment,” he said ruefully.
FIRST ROUND LEADERS: 68 George Cowan (Westerhope); 70 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), Aran Wainwright (Mid-Yorks), Robert Wragg (Hallowes), David Astin (Woodsome Hall), Neil Cheetham (Dore & Totley); 71 David Thwaites (Brookdale), Sean Doherty (Bury), Chris Sands (SkyCaddie), Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool); 72 Fraser Kelley (Malton & Norton), Vincent Guest (Teesside), Alex Boyton (Skidby Lakes), David Smith (Swinton Park).
The 29-year-old Westerhope professional would have put even more space between himself and the chasing pack of five players but for a couple of lapses on the home stretch. “I missed the green with my approach to the 16th then drove into the thistles on the next hole,” he explained.
But Cowan, whose one other bogey came at the second, more than compensated for his mistakes with four birdies on the outward half and an eagle at the 365-yard 12th which he drove comfortably before draining a five-foot putt. “I’m glad I got that on the card because the back nine was tough,” he added.
The same stretch clearly did not present a problem for David Shacklady, the most prolific player on the regional circuit despite his failure to win an Order of Merit title in 20 years of trying.
The Mossock Hall man started his round at the 10th and was four-under-par for seven holes before erring on the 18th. He then dropped four more strokes, offset by a brace of birdies in his 70.
On the same mark was past champion Robert Wragg, from Hallowes, who was on course for the outright lead until he ran up a treble bogey on the ninth, his last hole, after his four iron tee-shot plunged into a rocky outcrop. "I had to take the punishment,” he said ruefully.
FIRST ROUND LEADERS: 68 George Cowan (Westerhope); 70 David Shacklady (Mossock Hall), Aran Wainwright (Mid-Yorks), Robert Wragg (Hallowes), David Astin (Woodsome Hall), Neil Cheetham (Dore & Totley); 71 David Thwaites (Brookdale), Sean Doherty (Bury), Chris Sands (SkyCaddie), Ian Keenan (Royal Liverpool); 72 Fraser Kelley (Malton & Norton), Vincent Guest (Teesside), Alex Boyton (Skidby Lakes), David Smith (Swinton Park).
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