Home advantage helps Surry to top

Steve Surry made full use of home advantage on the opening day of the GRENKE Championship at Cumberwell Park as he stormed to a two-stroke lead with a six-under-par 65 in the first round of the HotelPlanner.com PGA Europro Tour event.

Surry, a Europro winner in 2009, was faultless as he recorded six birdies to open a two-shot lead over Stuart Archibald (HJS and Legend Alliance) on the par 71 Red/Yellow Course. Marcus Armitage and Warren Bennett share third on three-under with five players four back on two-under.

“It’s my home course but last year that didn’t work out too well for me; I missed the cut,” said Surry.

“I started off nicely today with a couple of good pars on the first two which is a tough stretch with the prevailing winds.

“I made a nice birdie at the fourth and I birdied the eighth, which was a good birdie into the wind. I had four birdies on the back nine which was quite good as the wind was picking up throughout the round. I was happy to keep the scoring going.

“Last year the course was bouncy and the wind was going in the opposite direction, so I didn’t feel that I had much of an advantage. Today the wind was blowing its usual way and I felt I had a bit of an advantage.

“The greens are a bit quicker than I am used to and everybody can see how I have scored, whereas normally playing here it’s only the lads you are playing with who know. I have played a few pro tournaments here now with the Europro last year and a couple of other things.

“I know I can win and I feel I am one of the more experienced players on the tour. That helps but there are a lot of young players coming through who want to win and have the ability.”

Archibald dropped three shots on his way to four-under-par and second. He opened the tournament with a  bogey on the first and took six on the par-four eighth but birdies at six, nine and five on the back nine saw him sign for a 67.

For regular score updates throughout the duration of the tournament click here.