Chapman leads after first round

Adam Chapman shot an excellent four-under par (68) to hold a one-shot lead heading into the second round of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour Sky Sports Tour Championship.

Chapman (Carus Green Golf Club) collected five birdies and just a single bogey on a day which saw only five players finish under par.

Race To Amendoeria leader Chris Lloyd withdrew from play just minutes before his tee time, providing ample opportunity for the likes of MK Kim (Golfmind Korea) and Nick Marsh (Huddersfield Golf Club) to launch a late attack for the Order of Merit top spot.

However, none of the other top five golfers in the Order of Merit shot under-par first rounds which Lloyd will be pleased to see.

Strong winds of almost 40mph from midday onwards meant scores stayed well above par for the majority of the field, but not in Chapman’s case.

“I got off to good a start, three-under par after six holes. I hit the ball really well, and only dropped a shot on the 7^th.”: said Chapman, who is seeking his first win on the EuroPro Tour this season.

He added: “I feel like everything came together really well today, I probably had about two and half holes with little wind, but soon after it picked up and it was a struggle from then onwards.”

On the prospect of winning in Amendoeira Chapman said: “It would mean the world to me, I’ve been pretty disappointed with my season so far so a win here would make things a lot better.”

Spectator entry is free of charge throughout and live scoring is available at www.europrotour.com. Highlights from the Sky Sports Tour Championship at Amendoeira Golf Resort will air on Sky Sports Golf in November.