Joannes romps five clear with record 65
Belgium’s Hugues Joannes took a decisive grip on the
Carris Trophy with a brilliant round of 65 to open a five-stroke
lead at the halfway stage.
Joannes display, which he described as ’perfect’,
trimmed two strokes off the course record at Sherwood Forest
set only 24 hours earlier. The 17 year old from Brussels (photo
courtesy of Tom Ward) is on 134, six under par, five shots
ahead of Lancashire’s Sam Stuart, James Curry from Northumberland,
and Dutchman David Van den Dungen.
“It was an absolutely perfect round,” said Joannes.
“I played as well as I did in shooting 69 in the first
round but this time I putted better. I holed everything and
didn’t drop a shot while scoring five birdies. I’ve
never had such a big lead in a tournament but there is still
a long way to go,” he added.
Stuart, from Chorley, had an eagle and five birdies in his
69 and said: “I’m happy with that but it could
have been so much better. I was four under through eight holes
but doubled the 11th and also bogeyed the 14th and 15th.
Curry, the son of former tour pro David Curry, now the pro
at Linden Hall, had an eagle and three birdies in a 67 which
was overshadowed by Joannes’ display.
Late in the day, Van den Dungen produced a 70 to make it
a three-way tie on 139, while there are five players on level
par 140 including first round leader David Booth.
The Rotherham lad was going well until he ran up three successive
bogeys from the 13th but he ended on a happy note with a birdie
three at the 18th for a 73.
Also on 140 is Billy Fowles from Surrey, who holed in one
at the 181-yard tenth hole in the first match out at 7.30am.
It was the second ace of the championship, following Sam
Hutsby’s at the seventh in round one, but Fowles first.
“I took a seven iron and the ball hit the pin and lodged
against it,” he said. “As we walked up to the
green the breeze moved the flagstick and the ball dropped.”
The halfway cut came at six over par 146 with 49 players
surviving for the final two rounds. Among those who missed
out were Henry Smart (148), Tim Chatfield (149) and Dale Smith
(157), all members of the England under 18 squad, and McGregor
Trophy winner Oscar Sharpe (150).
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