Five Share Lead at Kingspan Concra Wood

Five players share a one-shot lead on two under par after a weather-disrupted first day of the Kingspan Concra Wood Open in Ireland.

Play was suspended shortly after 2:30pm in the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event due to stormy weather but resumed at 4:15pm.

Lee Clarke, Paul O’Hanlon, Duncan Stewart, Andrew and George Woolgar all signed for two-under-par 70s and share a one-shot lead over 11 golfers who are tied for fifth.

Clarke (Everbuild Building Products) began his round from the 10th tee but bogeyed the par-four hole. He hit back immediately with an eagle two at the 11th but struggled at 12 where he made five at the par three.

Birdies at 13 and 15 saw Clarke move to one under par and he also broke par at seven and eight. A bogey four at his final hole, the ninth, prevented him from taking the outright clubhouse lead but the Englishman will be happy to have signed for 70.

O’Hanlon (The Curragh GC) also endured a mixed opening round, despite beginning with an eagle three at the first and improving his card with a birdie at the par-five fourth. His early work was undone, however, when he made four consecutive bogeys from the fifth to see him fall to one over par.

Turning home he made up for a disappointing conclusion to his front nine with birdies at 11, 13 and 14 to sign for a 70 and take a share of the lead.

Stewart (Grantown on Spey) made birdie five times but bogeys at 14, two and five saw him card a first round of 70. Willey (Notts Golf Club) started with a bogey at 10 before making a birdie at 15 and another bogey at 16.

On the back nine he eagled the par-five first before making bogey at two. Back-to-back birdies at three and four restored his score to two under par.

Woolgar (Capital Services), who also started at the 10th, has an eagle three at the first to thank for his share of the lead. He made four birdies in his round but also suffered four bogeys.

The Kingspan Concra Wood Open continues with the second round on Thursday, after which a cut of the top 50 plus ties will be made ahead of Friday’s final round.