Webber wipes slate clean with birdie blitz

James Webber erased bad memories of Little Aston with a birdie laden 68 to lead the Galvin Green PGA Assistants’ Championship.

The Three Rivers Golf & Country Club assistant suffered a first round exit as an amateur in the British Boys Championship but on his return to the Harry Vardon-designed course peppered the pin to reel off six birdies.

Webber’s four under par tally leaves him one clear of Ireland’s Ciaran Malloy (Blackwood Golf Centre), Northumberland’s Mathew Webb (Bedlingtonshire) and 2014 champion Gareth Davies (Abbeydale) who birdied the last for a 69.

While Webber enjoyed the more benign early conditions, an even better score slipped through his fingers after he dropped a shot on 13 and three putted the par five 15^th.

Nevertheless, Webber was more than happy with his opening round in the 54-hole event which carries a £5,000 first prize and entry to the end of season PGA Play-Offs at Saunton in October plus a clothing deal with sponsors Galvin Green.

“I three putted the par five unfortunately but apart from that I played really well and hit it really close which is always nice. I was within three feet for five of the six birdies I made which is a huge bonus,” said Webber.

“I played Little Aston a long time ago in the British Boys but I didn’t fare too well and got knocked out in the first round. It’s a great course though, it is looking fantastic, lush and the greens are soft, it’s very playable. If your wedges are on, you can fire at pins which is what I did today and it came off.”

Also enjoying laser like accuracy was Webb who rattled in five birdies in his opening seven holes. A bogey at eight plus a double bogey at 14, courtesy of a lost ball off the tee, halted his charge but a birdie on the last eased the pain and he remains well on target to avenge his disappointment at missing the cut last year.

“My game was really good, I had a lot of opportunities, I was not making as many putts as I maybe should have done but overall I’m happy with that score,” said Webb.

Golf is very much in the family for Webb - he works for his dad Marcus, a PGA Fellow Professional - but despite that was left to find his own way into the sport.

“I hit a few balls at eight or nine but didn’t start playing until I was 14 because he didn’t want to push me into it, I used to play football,” he added.

“After that I kind of got the golfing bug and really enjoyed it. The handicap system of always trying to beat yourself, I found it really enjoyable so got addicted to golf I guess.”

Malloy meanwhile, who described his form as blowing very hot and cold coming into the event, must have feared the worst when he bogeyed the first two holes.

But the Bangor man sparked into life with a run of five birdies in six holes to the eighth to lead the Ireland charge which also includes Balcarrick’s Iarlaith Keane at two under and Dunloaghaire’s Michael Kelly and Limerick's Tim Rice a stroke further back.

“I fell asleep this morning but got a few birdies going there thankfully,” said Malloy.

“My form has been pretty rubbish coming into this and I’ve been carrying a few injuries but I did okay, hit some close today and hopefully can carry that on.”