Perthshire’s Calum Hill made full use of the relatively calm conditions on the cliffs overlooking St Andrews for his best-ever European Tour score and an immediate lead in the Hero Open.
The 26-year-old from Crook of Devon had a bogey-free nine-under 63, good for a one shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Caldwell in favourable scoring conditions on the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.
In one of the early groups of the first wave of starters, Hill rolled in a 15-footer for par at the first hole – the tenth – and then barely was troubled by anything.
‘We got the best of it’
Nine birdies. Nine pars ✍️
A fast start for @CalumHill_golf.@Workday | #HeroOpen
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 5, 2021
“We got the best of it, 100 per cent,” he said of the weather conditions. “Our front nine was relatively calm, probably just a one club wind.
“The back nine it started to pick up but we got three-quarters of our day in quite pleasant conditions.
“I think it’s going to get a lot tougher from here and the wind’s getting up now, so it was good to take advantage.”
Hill covered his first nine – the inward half – in five-under 31, and then birdied both the front nine par fives, adding further birdies at the seventh and eighth, his 16t And 17th holes of the morning.
“I basically putted well,” he said. “I didn’t put it in places that caused me too much bother. Just that one 15-footer on the first to save par and then a lot of mid-range putts for birdie from then on.”
Caddie swap and family support
LOCAL HEROES…🏴🏌🏼♂️
It's a home event this week on @EuropeanTour with the #HeroOpen starting Thursday at the magnificent @FairmontStA💫 🥰
⏰1st Round tee times…
0720 @CalumHill_golf 👊🏽
0750 @grantforrest93 👊🏽
1240 @stevieggolf 👊🏽
1320 @euanwalkergolf 👊🏽⛳🏴🏌🏼♂️😎 pic.twitter.com/G6sY3DqHHd
— Bounce (@bouncespmgt) August 4, 2021
Hill has had a strong season on tour lying in the top 40 in the Race to Dubai. He recently parted company with veteran caddie Phil Morbey who had been on his bag for the first part of this season. Coach Davie Burns looped for him in Wales two weeks ago, but he’s now got Dan Parratt on the bag, who was previously caddie for former BMW PGA champion Ben An.
There was also a good deal of help and support from family and friends.
“I really enjoy when family and friends can come and watch, and we haven’t had that recently,” he said. “We had Mum, Dad, cousins, uncles, close friends out there.
“I seem to enjoy it, when people are watching me and rooting for me, it just gives me a little extra spur, I think.”
Law and Ramsay make strong starts
Early start this morning 4.30 alarm. Got best of conditions so nice start 67, great play Calum Hill 63. Lunch, nap 😴, practice @FairmontHotels @EuropeanTour pic.twitter.com/cQbHq7xMgB
— Richie Ramsay (@RamsayGolf) August 5, 2021
There were solid starts from three more Scots in the morning wave, Aberdeen duo David Law and Richie Ramsay both showing their improved form of late again with five-under rounds of 67.
Ramsay, also playing the back nine first, also didn’t drop a shot while Law had just the one bogey in his round, and a nice little streak of four birdies in five holes.
Grant Forrest, playing the course in usual order, recovered from a bogey five on the first to come in with four-under 68.
As expected conditions proved much tougher in the afternoon with only American Barry Henson able to make much ground on the early starters.
The 42-year-old, who has spent much of his career in Asia, returned a five-under 67 in the stronger winds of the afternoon.
“I’m a Southern California boy from Palm Springs,” he said. “It’s like playing in a dome, and not like here playing in 30mph winds.
“But I love the challenge. I’ve played a lot of professional golf and I played the Dunhill one year, so I’m accustomed to some of these conditions. I just got a little break on the first hole and just gave myself great opportunities.”
Like the rest of the field, Henson has one eye on the weather forecast, with heavy rain expected Friday and Saturday.
“No rain for me today was nice,” he said. “I know tomorrow is going to be a big challenge, but I’m up for it.
“That’s what I’m here for. I’m here to get better, this is making me better and I’m excited to be here.”
Best of the Scots in the afternoon wave were veterans David Drysdale and Scott Jamieson, both of whom returned one-under rounds of 71.
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