On the back of an impressive performance that saw him safely through the DP World Tour’s Q-School Stage One Qualifier at Northumberland Golf Club 10 days ago, John Ross Galbraith continued his hot streak and took the early lead on the Clutch Pro Tour’s resumption at Castle Royle Golf Club in Reading.
Playing in the afternoon wave on day one, the Whitehead man wasted little time in getting into red figures, birdieing 11, 12, 15 and 18 to make the turn at four-under having started on the back side.
Further birdies on one and five got him to within a shot of the lead, but he leapfrogged the duo on -7 with an eagle-three on the eighth and then closed out with a par for a bogey-free, eight-under 64 and a one-stroke lead at the end of the opening round.
Paul McBride, Robert Brazill and Marc Boucher all started brightly as well and are locked together on three-under in a tie for 20th, with James Sugrue one shot further adrift and sharing 30th.
On level-par, Rory Williamson straddles the provisional cutline, and Daniel Mulligan needs to improve on his opening effort as he lies a shot further back on one-over. Meanwhile, Scott Montgomery and Ignatius McGuinness have given themselves mountains to climb to see final round action after matching six-over 78s.
Hot on Galbraith’s heels are Wales’ Luke Harries and Joe Retford of England, with a further five players sharing fourth place on -6.
Leave a comment