Suffolk champion Gregor Tait birdied seven of his first 11 holes on his way to topping the first ever Amateur Championship pre-qualifier yesterday.
FORMAT: 18-hole stroke play
The 24-year-old, who represents Scotland, finished one clear of Ireland’s Charlie Denvir at St Annes Old Links with the top 30 all making it through. Unfortunately Kipp Popert was the one to miss out of the eight who finished on the cut line (+1).
The 288-strong field for next week’s Amateur Championship is now complete, with action getting under away at St Annes Old Links and Royal Lytham on Monday (June 13). The 36-hole final follows on Saturday June 18th.
For Tait, once he got to five under after 11, his thoughts were solely about going as low as possible in preparation for he will encounter in the main event.
“You really could take it on,” said the Aldeburgh player.
“The greens were pretty flat but they were in fantastic condition and the ball was rolling so purely.
“I was also pretty lucky that my college friend Andres Acevedo was caddying for me. He is a really good green reader.”
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The combination of Acevedo – the American had already secured his place in the field for next week – and some impressive all-round play from Tait contributed to a hugely eventful round which included eight birdies and three bogeys.
Tait added: “Normally at St Annes you get the cross winds on the par threes and it is into and against on the longer holes. However we got steady cross winds on the par fours and par fives and if that happens next week I think you will see someone go really low.
“The greens are in such fantastic condition and I was hitting good putts all day. I also had plenty of good looks that didn’t drop.”
The Scotsman almost drove the green at the first to set up a chip-and-put birdie and, after dropping a shot at the par three third, was back under par after five as he firstly knocked it in tight at the fourth and then, at the first par five, caught a flier out of the rough with his second shot before getting up and down for his third birdie of the day.
A bogey at seven was followed by four birdies in a row. He sank a 40-footer at eight, chipped in at nine and then wedged it in close at both 10 and 11.
His third bogey of the day followed at 13 but he bounced back immediately, sinking a 25 footer to get back to five under.
He came within millimetres of further birdies at 16 and 17 and then surprisingly missed one from six feet for a four at the par five last.