2008 European Father & Son Championship - Round 1: Hamiltons surge ahead with 45 point bonanza

Martin and Connor Hamilton surged into a commanding four point lead after the first day of the European Father and Son Championship on Thursday, notching up 45 stableford points. "Not bad, considering we had a blob at our first hole (the 10th) and only one point at the second," said father Martin, who confessed he had only contributed one point to the team score, "and even that was off a thin!".

Both Hamiltons play off 9 handicaps at Lambourne Golf Club, but 15 year old son Connor played the best golf of his life to score a gross 1-under par 70 on PortAventura's testing North Course, a remarkable feat as he only took up the game two years ago. "I’ve actually struck the ball better, but I’ve never putted as well as this before," he said. "Everything seemed to be going in." His previous best score was a level par round.

Paul and Lance Round from The Chase Golf Club put together a fine card of 41 points off their handicaps of 14 and 6 to lie second, while Alan and Gregory Cook (13 and 10 handicap) are third with 39 points, followed by five teams on 38 points.

On a fine day with the sun on their backs 49 teams set off in true tournament fashion, with an official starter announcing each pairing on the 1st and 10th tees. Helped by the gentler weather and the 'lift, clean and place' ruling made necessary by the heavy rains of the previous two days, sixteen teams managed to score 36 or more points off the yellow tees of Greg Norman's young course. With little or no run on the ball, the course played longer than the card's 5,934 metres. but the soft greens were holding and putting slowly, but very true. It was generally felt to be a good deal more mature than the mere three months it has been open would suggest, and a fine test of golf.

Most father and son pairs were still on talking terms after the day's play, although a few sons were less than complimentary about their fathers' golf. "My Dad only got one point all day," said 13 year old Richie Mansell, a 10 handicapper from Beau Desert Golf Club. "He lost 14 balls today - I got 29 of our 30 points!" Father John (23 handicap) hotly disputed the accusation, saying "I only lost about a dozen".

Les Taylor, partnering father Norman, the doyen of the competitors at 87, was philosophical after they brought home 28 points. "This was a lot better than yesterday's rainy mess," he said. "I managed to create my own natural disasters!" Norman lamented: "The holes are about 40 yards too long for me," but still showed glimpses of the form that made him the scratch golfer he once was.

Friday's second round will move to PortAventura's South Course, a very picturesque, much more undulating layout cut through trees and making full use of the natural features of the higher ground. Few of the teams have had the opportunity of a practice round at the South, so the leaderboard may see some significant changes before the day is out.

Leading first round scores (click here for full first round leaderboard):

1 Martin and Connor HAMILTON 45
2 Paul and Lance ROUND 41
3 Aland and Gregory 39
4 Brian and Christian LEVER 38
4 Robert and Callum DOLEY 38
4 Richard and Lee INMAN 38
4 Afred and Abbas IQBAL 38
4 Terry and Craig NIGHTINGALE 38
9 Andy and Thomas TREMLETT 37
9 Paul and Philip TROW 37
9 Paul WILLIAMS and Oliver BOOT 37
9 Greg and Mark BAILLIE 37
9 Richard and Neil BREWIN 37
9 Steven and Sam WOODHAM 37
15 Phil and Ben TAYLOR 36
15 Max and Miles TAYLOR 36
15 Anders and Andre HAMMER 36
15 Robert and George MACKAY 36