Chris Lloyd
Chris Lloyd of England enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a sparkling round of 65 on the opening day of the Barclays Kenya Open on the European Challenge Tour.
The 19 year old from Bristol made light of some heavy morning rain showers at Muthaiga Golf Club, on the outskirts of Kenya’s bustling capital Nairobi, to notch six birdies in a flawless round of golf which set the clubhouse target on six under par.
Having relinquished his amateur status at the end of last year, Lloyd is playing only his second event as a professional in his debut Challenge Tour season, but betrayed few signs of inexperience with a mature display to lead by two strokes – albeit with many of the afternoon starters yet to complete their rounds due to a one hour and 20 minutes delay caused by the downpour.
The talented teenager has already experienced his fair share of ups and downs in his fledgling pro career, having narrowly missed out on earning his card at last year’s Qualifying School Final Stage and then been forced to withdraw from the last Challenge Tour event in Colombia after suffering second degree burns on his shoulders.
But the two-time Junior Ryder Cup player now hopes that a season spent sharpening his competitive instincts on the Challenge Tour will lay the foundations for a long and prosperous career.
Lloyd said: “It was obviously really disappointing to miss out on my card at Qualifying School last year, but looking back it might’ve been a bit of a jump into the deep end. And it would’ve also been much harder to plan my Schedule, whereas out here my category will get me into pretty much every tournament, so it makes life much easier. It’ll be a great learning experience for me to play on the Challenge Tour this year, then if and hopefully when I get my card on the main Tour, I’ll be much better prepared for it.
“I’m really enjoying my first season and my visit to Kenya – it was a pleasure to play out there. The weather’s great, and I remembered to put plenty of sun cream on today after what happened in Colombia, where I had to withdraw. I’d been in America the week before, and on the last day I managed to burn my shoulders, which meant I spent most of the week in Colombia either in the hospital or my hotel room instead of out on the course, which wasn’t ideal!
“So I was chomping at the bit to get out here, because I’ve only played the one event so far this season. It’s only my second pro event, so I’m still finding my feet on the Tour. But I’ve really enjoyed it so far, and it helps that I already knew a few of the other English guys from my amateur days, so we normally hang around together and eat out together – it’s a bit like having an extended family.”
Home hero Nicholas Rokoine is currently in second place on four under par alongside another Englishman, Tom Whitehouse.
Rokoine is attached to Muthaiga Golf Club, and he used his home advantage to stunning effect with a round of 67 which delighted the locals.
On two previous visits to the Barclays Kenya Open Rokoine had narrowly missed the cut, but he now seems certain to reach the weekend for the first time after notching five birdies in a display which was almost as hot as the Nairobi weather.
He said: “I played very well today, though it helped that because of the rain the greens weren’t as firm as they have been, so they were holding your approach shots much more. I’ve been playing well recently, finishing below par in both of my last two events, so I came here feeling good and with my confidence high.
“I know the course very well – I play here most days. This is the third time I’ve played this event, and I haven’t managed to make the cut yet but I’ve given myself a great chance after today’s round, so I’m going to try my level best tomorrow and hopefully play well at the weekend. My target is to play more often in Europe, so if I can do well here this week then that will obviously increase my chances and hopefully get me noticed.”
The highlight of Whitehouse’s day came at the par five tenth hole, where he reached the green in two and rolled in the eagle putt en route to a round of 67.
His compatriot Ben Barham, making his return to competitive action after undergoing life-saving surgery to remove his right kidney, was two strokes back on two under par.
The 35 year old from Kent admitted to experiencing mixed emotions, saying: “In a funny way, I actually feel a little bit disappointed, because I didn’t get the most out of my round in the end. If you’d offered me a 69 at the start of the day I would’ve taken it without hesitation, but I hit a few dodgy shots coming in and then three-putted the last, so it could’ve been much better. But I’m just pleased to be here, and judging by the scoreboard a 69 is looking pretty competitive.
“It’s going to take a while for me to get sharp and shake off the rust, but today was definitely a step in the right direction. I hit a decent drive down the first which settled me down, and hopefully now I can start working my way back to where I was. I had to dig in a few times when I found trouble, but overall I have to be very pleased with how it went. It’s not an easy course, especially with the wind swirling, so two under’s a pretty good effort on my comeback. I felt a little bit tired towards the end of my round, but hopefully the more I play, the better I’ll see out my rounds.”
