Matthew Jordan delighted the home crowds with a course-record 63 that handed him a two-shot lead after round one of the Betfred British Masters.
The Merseyside native arrived at Hillside Golf Club on an invite for just his ninth European Tour start, but looked like a seasoned veteran as he went blemish-free to get to nine-under.
Another home favourite in Matt Wallace was at seven-under alongside Swede Marcus Kinhult, a shot ahead of Belgian Thomas Detry, Swede Robert Karlsson, Scot Richie Ramsay and England’s Lee Westwood.
Tournament host Tommy Fleetwood took big crowds with him despite the wet and cold conditions, and he rewarded them with a four-under-par 68.
Jordan only turned professional in September after an excellent amateur career that included a Walker Cup appearance in 2017.
The 23-year-old made the cut on his European Tour debut at last season’s KLM Open, and has a best finish of tied for 32nd at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Haydn Porteous, Richard Sterne and Jaco van Zyl opened with 70s, with Brandon Stone and Dean Burmester the only other South Africans under par.
Amateur Wilco Nienaber was one of three South Africans level for the day.
