FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play / 5 round of matchplay
There was a truly unforgettable day at the British Girls in Yorkshire for Rachel Gourley as she broke the course record at Fulford by three shots.
The previous course record (-5) was jointly held by a number of players but the 16-year-old from Northumberland recorded seven birdies and an eagle in posting an eight under total (66).
In 2019 at the R&A U-16s the first was played as a par five meaning the par was 75 when four competitiors shot 70. Now it is played as a par four, bringing the par down to 74.
Hannah Darling sees off Beth Coulter to win British Girls
Rachel’s stunning effort leaves her four clear of England team-mate Olivia Lee (Gerrards Cross) with five others just a shot further back. After tomorrow’s second qualifying round the top 32 will start the matchplay phase.
“I hit the ball well,” said the Arcot Hall player. “The wind got up over the last few holes, which are all tight and play in a left to right wind, so I was happy to birdie the last.”
The leader got to eight under after just 11 holes, culminating in a stunning eagle at the 11th. After laying up with her drive on the par five, she nailed her three wood 265 yards and then sunk a 30-footer for a three.
There was a bogey at 15 but she bounced back with a birdie at the last having also birdied three, four, six, eight, nine and ten.