The Vintage’s Corey Lamb and Queenslander James Mee share the lead at the 2022 Concord Cup after carding opening round four-under-par 67’s.
The pair sit one shot in front of Avondale’s Nathan Page, with Concord’s Blake Phillips and Victorian Toby Walker another shot back at two-under.
From the outset, Mee looked like the man they were all going to have to chase after beginning his challenge with a bogey-free front nine of just 32.
Lamb, in contrast, battled early and dropped shots on the first, third and 6th. However, he managed to get back on track courtesy of back-to-back birdies on the 8th and 9th.
LEADERBOARD – 2022 Concord Cup
Emboldened by his bounce-back, Lamb then proceeded to sizzle around the back nine, coming home in just 32 shots courtesy of birdies on the 10th, 11th, 12th and a tap in birdie two on the par-three 16th.
Mee, meanwhile, got to five-under, but an untimely bogey on the par-five 15th soon took the wind out of his sails, and unable to capitalise on the final three holes, mee was forced to settle with a share of the lead.
Lamb was quietly satisfied to finish his round the way he did despite his bad start, admitting after his round it had taken a little self-talk and discipline to maintain his focus.
“I got off to a rough start,” Lamb said.
“I pushed three drives into the bush on the fornt nine and every one of them ended up behind a tree,”
“I said to myself to just hang in there, and things will get better, then I birdied the 8th and 9th to get back to square, then I hit my straps.”
With this year’s Golf Challenge NSW Open fast approaching, Lamb is under no illusion what a victory this week will mean. After playing in the last three NSW Opens, the Branxton-based gun is hoping to lock away his spot in the field, and with it, the chance to make his debut in the Pay-for-play ranks.
“That’s the reason I’m playing here this week.
“I wanna make the NSW Open, and if I do, I reckon I’ll turn pro that week for sure.”
Lamb admitted the COVID pandemic had impacted his journey towards the pro ranks, especially after seeing many of his mates from across the country achieve almost immediate success on the transition to the Tour.
“My career’s calling and all my era of players have turned, Louis (Dobbellar), Jed (Morgan) and now Jordie (Garner), so it’s not feeling the same playing here. Time I went and joined them.
“Look at Louis and Jed. They are going soo good. I want a piece of that action too.
I’ve got to make the decision to dedicate everything I’ve got to the sport to get to where I want to be, I guess.”