In tough conditions Le Chevalier was the only player to break par, with a superb one-under 69, to lead by one shot from La Moye’s Richard Alker and Royal Jersey’s Gavin O’Neill.Young Matthew Parkman and Paul Walters share fourth spot after both players scored 71 while La Moye’s Channel Islands matchplay champion Myles Jones is in touch in sixth after a 73.Defending champion Christy McLaughlin, who won by a massive ten shots last year, struggled with a 77 while young twins Richard and Lawrence Hansford both carded 74s.Le Chevalier said: ‘I was pleased – I played solid.
It was pretty breezy off the sea, which is always the hardest wind on this course, and for the conditions there were some good scores.
‘There’s several good players up there – Richard, Gavin and Matthew – so it’s looking quite tight for the weekend.’The field of 33 play the second 18 holes this afternoon with the top 16 going through to contest the final 36 holes tomorrow.69: P Le Chevalier.
70: R Alker, G O’Neill.
71: M Parkman, P Walters.
73: M Jones, T Gray, R Messervy, S Bowen.
74: R Hansford, L Hansford.
75: R Wickings.
76: S Crossan.
77: C McLaughlin, G Denton, D Carey, M McCabe, L Cunningham.
78: S Rafferty, S Roberts, S Brown.
79: A Clarke, C Chevalier, M Le Feuvre, A Jones.
80: C Skelley, R McEwan.
81: J Firth, M Vincent, J Beattie.
82: G Robin.
84: B Lopes, J Fernandes.
