Rain halts English Amateur during first round

LEEDS, England — Rain stopped play during the opening round of the English Amateur Championship at Alwoodley Golf Club and Pannal Golf Club, leaving more than 100 players yet to have completed their first round of stroke play qualifying. The event, set for 36 holes of stroke play before moving on to match play, will be cut in half to 18, with 32 players advancing to the brackets after 112 players finish their rounds on Tuesday in Leeds. Of the 177 players to have finished before play was halted on Monday, 20-year-old Josh Hilleard leads a seven-under par 65. “We were very, very lucky, it was just starting to rain as we finished,” Hilleard told England Golf. Alfie Plant and Jake Storey are in at 66, with Rob Burlison right behind them at 67. In total, 35 players are at even-par or better. The majority of low scores came from Pannal, as only three players posted under-par rounds at Alwoodley. James Willis' three-under 68 was the lowest score of the day at Alwoodley, which will host the match play portion of the event.