Gary Murphy got off to a slow start in a weather-hit first round, as Robert Coles and David Drysdale took a share of the lead in the inaugural Reignwood Legends Championship in Beijing.
Murphy mixed three bogeys with two birdies on the back nine at the Reignwood Pine Valley course, carding a one-over-par 73 to sit seven off the leaders.
Coles made seven birdies and a solitary bogey in his round of 66, while Scotsman Drysdale was the solo leader before a bogey on the final hole to drop into a share of the lead. Drysdale’s fellow Scot, Greig Hutcheon made five birdies on the back nine to grab solo third place.
“Any time you shoot -6, it’s a good day,” said Coles, the reigning Staysure PGA Seniors champion. “I played pretty good tee-to-green, and I holed a few putts for the birdies from fairly mid-range, so that kept me going. There were a couple of moments where I knocked it through the back of the green and managed to get up-and-down to keep the momentum. I think probably those pars were actually more important than the birdies.
“I think today you just had to keep going. It’s easy to lose your concentration. I’m diabetic and my patch fell out after 14 holes, so I’ve got to sort that out now. But that’s the sort of thing that happens when it’s just so hot. It’s unbelievable. I like to go and practice, but I don’t think it’s advisable this afternoon, so it’s just a bit of rest and dinner tonight.”
Paul Lawrie and Simon Khan are amongst those in a seven-way tie for fourth place, two back of the leaders.
Murphy gets his second round underway at 1.10 am Irish time, 8.10 am local time, looking to chase down the leaders.
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