Gane’s great Cornwall debut

Left-hander Chris Gane celebrated his debut in the West PGA Cornish Festival by taking a two-stroke lead after a first round six-under-par 65 at sunny Trevose.

“I’ve heard so much about what a great week this is to start the season and now I’m proving that to be true,” said the 39-year-old former European and Challenge Tour player, representing lefthandedgolf.co.uk at Silvermere Golf Club in London.

“I had never seen Trevose before and would have played some holes differently but it was a nice start and the greens were fantastic, true and fast. It was one of those days when I made a lot of important putts.

“I made a 30-footer for birdie on 11 and then hit a drive and three-wood to six feet for another birdie at the 12^th that played right into the wind.”

He made an electric start with five birdies on the front nine, including three in a row from the second. He dropped his only shot on the par-five 13^th and then parred home. “The wind was really blowing then so I was chuffed with what I achieved,” he said.

Gane’s outstanding round was put into perspective as European Tour player Richard Bland, on his second appearance, was the only other player to better par at Trevose with a two-under 69, making three birdies and an eagle at the ninth.

Players at the hill-top Newquay course also suffered in the wind although Cornish-based duo Richard Sadler (Killiow) and former St Mellion touring player James Ruth, who started his PGA training last week at China Fleet, returned early four-under-par 65s.

Sadler dropped his only shot at the fourth but followed with birdies at the sixth, eighth and three in succession from the 13^th. “It was breezy but I was very happy with my form,” he said.

Ruth, winner of the Marston’s West Region PGA Championship at Saunton last season, carded six birdies on his first playing appearance for six months.

“I made a couple of silly mistakes at six and seven where I dropped shots, but otherwise played well,” he said.

Then former winner and ex-Ryder Cup player Paul Broadhurst threatened to turn the day upside down as he reached the 17th tee in six-under after making seven birdies with four threes and three twos.  But he found trouble off the tee, dropped only his second shot after his bogey at the sixth and compounded his problems by also finishing with a bogey five.

Home professional Chris Gill, Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) and Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) produced the only other sub-par rounds. Last year’s winner former Ryder Cup man Peter Baker (South Staffs) shot 72.

As usual St Enodoc proved to be the toughest course in the wind. Cheltenham-based Russell Berry (Professional Golf Europe) was the early leader on one-over-par 70 until Order of Merit winner Liam Bond (Marriott St Pierre) came home late to improve that mark by two strokes. Battling Bond made five birdies and dropped four shots.