McDermott starts well on day one in Suffolk - 06/03/2007

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IRELAND'S Michael McDermott has taken another step closer to securing a 2008 Challenge Tour card.

McDermott fired a superb opening day round of 63 to move into an early lead in the 2007 Motocaddy Championships, held at Ufford Park, Suffolk.

The golfer (pictured right), who is a member of the Stackstown Golf Club, the same club as 2007 Open winner Padraig Harrington, is in contention to win the £10,000 first prize.

If successful, this would be his second triumph of the campaign after he also won at the nearby Stoke-by-Nayland event in North Essex in June.

It would also catapult McDermott into the top five on the Order of Merit list and if he remained there at the end of the season he would then qualify for a 2008 Challenge Tour card.

One player already guaranteed of that is Graeme Clark, who has been in stunning form all season with three tournaments victories at Faithlegg, Ireland, The Players Club, Bristol and Whittlebury Park, Northamptonshire.

However, he could soon clinch his fourth success as he produced another fantastic round of golf, this time a six-under 64 and is currently second.

Other players enjoying a decent first day included Scot Paul Doherty (five-under), Alan Murray (Greystones GC) and Daniel brooks (Mill Hill, both four-under) and Stephen Dixon (Haltacourt) and Mark Laskey (Brocket Hall, both three-under).

This event at Ufford Park is the 12th of the season with 133 of the best young professionals in Britain and Ireland taking part.

Among the field are 14 of the current top 16 in the Order of Merit, 2001 Volvo PGA Championships winner Andrew Oldcorn and Welsh amateur Rhys Davies, who will be playing in the Walker Cup next month.

The 13th out of the 14 regular 2007 events is the Ethos Recycling Classic, which takes place at the Stonebridge Golf Club, Meriden, Warwickshire, from September 5 to September 7.

Date posted: August 29, 2007