Solid start for McKibbin; Ireland 23rd; McBride lurking
Tom McKibbin. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Galgorm Castle’s Tom McKibbin got off to a positive start in his chase for Rookie of the Year honours and promotion to the PGA Tour when he opened with a two-under 70 in the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.
The reigning European Open champion birdied the third, fifth and seventh from around seven feet to turn in three-under.
While he followed another birdie from inside 10 feet at the 10th with a double bogey five at the 13th, he was tied for 19th with US Open champion Wyndham Clark at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, six strokes behind leader James Morrison.
The Englishman (38) carded just a single bogey in an eight under par 64 - his lowest round this season - to lead by one stroke from Germany's Nick Bachem.
Defending champion Adrian Otaegui began his title defence with a bogey-free six under par 66 to sit alone in third place.
“I'm very happy,” said Morrison on a day when preferred lies denied him a course record and play was brought to a premature end due to darkness with seven players still to complete their rounds.
“Knew the draw was going to be that way and we got more holes in this morning with no wind than we actually thought we were going to get in, so we had to make hay while the sun was shining, and I did that.”
Morrison, who is seeking his third win and his first since the 2015 Spanish Open, has a good record in Spain.
“Spain’s been very, very good to me over the last 14 years,” he said. “I’m guessing it’s the free-pouring gin and tonics that do it for me, which is the main thing, and the ham, obviously.
“I love coming here, it suits my eye, most courses inherently aren’t as long as we play on Tour so they’re more positional sort of golf courses.”
At the World Amateur Team Championships for the Eisenhower Trophy at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Ireland moved up three places to tied 23rd on four-under at halfway.
Matthew McClean shot a four-under 68 and Liam Nolan a 71 as Alex Maguire’s 73 was discarded to leave them 12 strokes adrift of the United States.
The American trio of Nick Dunlap (67), PGA Tour-bound Gordon Sargent (70) and David Ford (74) lead by a shot on 16-under from China and France.
In the Alps Tour Grand Final in Italy, Paul McBride shot a one-under 71 to share third place on seven-under heading into the final round, six shots behind France’s Augustin Hole (68).
Paul Murphy (73) was tied 19th on one-under with Order of Merit leader Ronan Mullarney (72) 33rd on two-over.
In the Calatayud Ladies Open on the LET Access Tour, Lauren Walsh shot a two-over 74 in the second round to share 10th place on level par at halfway, six strokes behind Hannah Screen.
