Dermot McElroy shares sixth place while John Murphy is just outside the top 10 after the opening round of the Clutch Pro Tour’s Caddy Comps Trophy at Seacroft Golf Club in Lincolnshire.
McElroy was among the early starters on the 10th tee in round one, and reached the turn at one-under after two early birdies and a bogey on 18. A birdie-birdie start to the front side was followed by a bogey on five but he responded with a birdie on six and then another at the last to post a four-under-par 67 that leaves him tied for sixth and four off the lead.
Murphy also started on the 10th in the morning and hit the ground running, making birdies on 11, 13 and 14 before back-to-back bogeys on 15 and 16. It was all action on the front side for the Kinsale man, who birdied each of the first three, then added another at five before making a triple bogey-seven on the eighth. He regrouped to birdie the last and sits a shot behind McElroy at -3.
Tyler Hogarty is next best at one-under-par and sharing 35th, while Paul McBride, fresh off a victory at last week’s Ashburnham Classic, shot a level-par 71 where he is joined by Daniel Mulligan in a tie for 48th.
Robert Brazill and Rory Williamson are a shot outside the provisional cutline at +1, while Alex Maguire, who finished solo third last week and Tom Dowdall (+2), Scott Montgomery (+3) and Marc Boucher (+5) all have work to do if they’re to earn tee times for the third and final round.
England’s Josh Hilleard holds a two-stroke lead at the top after making nine birdies in an eight-under 63, with two fellow Englishmen in Jack Cope and Joe Long sharing second.
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