Blake Windred has fired a six under par 66 overnight to be co-leader of the European Amateur Championship at the Diamond Country Club in Austria.
On a perfect morning for golf, Windred opened his Championship campaign with a birdie at the first before adding two more before the turn. A brace of birdies on 15, 16 and 17 saw him reach six under, and with a par on the last the Novocastrian had a share of the clubhouse lead.
It is a pleasing bounce back for Windred, the world number 15, following the disappointment of his British Amateur Championship challenge, where he failed to qualify for the matchplay rounds.
Alongside Windred at the top of the leaderboard is Kiwi Daniel Hillier, who also had the best of the morning conditions in compiling his 66.
Besides Windred ‘s name sitting on top of the leaderboard, three more Australians are in red figures after day one.
South Australian Jack Thompson and Western Australia’s Josh Greer carded three under par rounds of 69 to be in a tie for 20th, while Monash Country Club’s Nathan Barbieri carded one of the better rounds of the afternoon half of the draw, a two-under-par 70. He sits in a tie for 31st.
Queensland’s Chris Crabtree carded an even-par 72 to be in 56th place, while Josh Armstrong, Jordie Garner and Jed Morgan had little luck on day one, carding rounds of 77, 78, and 79 to be well back.
55 players shot under-par in the calm conditions on day one, although stronger winds are forecast for Round two which will get underway at 4.00pm EST.
The winner of the 2019 European Amateur will secure a place in the next month’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
