Hot Harrison equals course record

Jack Harrison fired a record-equalling eight-under-par 65 to set a scorching pace at the Powerade PGA Assistants’ Championship at Coventry Golf Club.

The Wildwood Golf & Country Club assistant produced a sizzling display of golf to seize a one stroke lead over Charles Wilson (Littlestone) and Glen Portelli (Verulam) in the £32,500 event which is supported by FootJoy.

An exciting day’s action was capped by a hole-in-one for Sarah Smith (Topgolf Game Centre) – the only woman in the 120 strong field, who aced the 124-yard par 3 seventh.

Surrey-based Harrison, who finished runner up in this event 12 months ago, identified winning the prestigious PGA Assistants event as one of his targets for the year and he was quickly into his stride with an eagle on the first and a birdie on the second.

While a bogey on three briefly halted his momentum, it didn’t take long for the 23 year old to hit top gear again with four birdies in five holes from the sixth and further gains at 13 and 14.

“I got off to a good start, with an eagle and a birdie but three putted the third which wasn’t too good so I knuckled down but I knew there were birdies out there,” said Harrison whose father Phil is director of golf at Wildwood.

“Getting off to a good start always helps and my playing partners kept me calm. I knew when I birdied nine to go five under I could press on and get to eight or nine under and I was a bit unlucky when I lipped out on 17 which would have been the course record.

“It’s always a confidence booster when you go out and shoot a round like that but there’s two more rounds to go so I’m going to forget about this and concentrate on tomorrow.”

Harrison came into the tournament on the back of a couple of top 25 finishes on the Challenge Tour and admits he’s playing some of the best golf of his young career.

“Last week in Tenerife I shot 75 first round and then 65 in the second to make the cut on the mark. My golf’s good, I’ve been playing steady for ages and it’s just a case of putting the rounds together.”

Hot on Harrison’s heels are Wilson and Portelli who joined in the birdie fest with nine apiece.

For Kent golfer Wilson it was an especially impressive display considering he had never set foot on the course prior to his first round today having only arrived in the Midlands late last night from the south coast.

Wilson was first out and reeled off four birdies in his opening six holes. Five more followed including a 25 footer on the last with just bogeys on 11 and 15 blotting his scorecard.

“I’ve never played here before. I only arrived at 11.45pm last night having driven up from Goodwood in Sussex where I was playing in a pro-am,” he said.

“It was Sod’s Law that I would be first off so I haven’t really had much preparation but I saw a couple of guys yesterday who played here last year so I asked them for advice and it was hit driver everywhere.

“I turned up this morning and saw it was tree-lined and a bit different to where I normally play but I felt good so I just hit driver on every hole more or less.”

Portelli, who picked up his first Order of Merit win in the PGA’s east region last week, was determined to make use of the experience gained from last year’s tournament where he finished tied 22nd.

“I knew I had to hit a low score as there were some very good rounds last year. I didn’t expect to score seven-under on the first round though so I’m delighted,” he said.

“I felt I played well last year although I didn’t hole my putts, so that has been the major difference for me. It shows you just how important your putting is.”