Pateman in control

Nick Pateman of Pinner Hill, one of the late starters, surged to the top of the leaderboard with a five-under-par 66 in the Weston Homes plc/ East Herts Classic at Hamels Park.

 The former Hertfordshire amateur champion is three shots clear of a cluster of five players on two-under-par 69. There are five more on one-under-par 70.

Pateman won the first of six Virgin Atlantic Order of Merit events at Royal Cromer in May when the second day was abandoned because of fog.

He started the current tournament in second place in the OOM series and is now well placed to leapfrog over leader Mark Hooper (Rayleigh Golf Range) who had a level par round of 71.

Pateman’s round included seven birdies and would have been better still but for a dropped shot at the par three final hole.

The five at two-under include Glen Portelli of Verulam, who also had an impressive opening round in the Weston Homes plc/Bishop’s Stortford Classic at the start of June. The others are Matthew Bookatz (Hendon), Chris Baron (West Essex), Mark Alexander (MA Golf) and Sam Willis (North Weald).

Irishman Barrie Trainor of Old Joe’s Golf Range, who had a disappointing time in the Irish Open at Carton House last week, started this event in third place in the OOM. He made up three shots during his final six holes to finish tied 33rd at two-over-par after having dropped five shots to the turn.