English Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships: White and Heath lead Yorkshire challenge

The respective men’s and women’s events of the prestigious England Golf tournament are being held at the same time for only the second occasion, and are being played across Headingley and Moortown in Leeds.

On the first day of the stroke play event for both, White shot a four-under-par round of 67 at Headingley to trail Olly Huggins of Frilford Heath by a shot. Huggins also played Headingley.

The lowest score posted around Moortown on day one was a three-under 68 by Dominic Barron Holden of Kendal.

Pannal’s White opened with a birdie but gave it straight back at the second, before further birdies at four, 10 and 11 got him moving again.

After dropping a shot at the 12th he finished strongly with birdies on 16 and 18.

George Mason (Wath), Bailey Hird (Cookridge Hall) and Joshua Berry all shot 69 at Moortown to sit inside the top 10.

Given how Moortown played a couple of shots tougher, Heath can be very pleased with her 68, the joint lowest by any player to have played the former Ryder Cup venue.

Heath, who plays for England and is on a golf scholarship at Florida State in the United States, trails Annabel Fuller (Roehampton) by two shots in the women’s event, even though Fuller’s 68 came at Headingley which is playing as a par-73 for the ladies.

Heath birdied the last two holes to get to three under.

Her fellow Huddersfield player Hannah Holden is one under par after shooting 72 at Headingley.

Teenager Abigail Taylor of Headingley fired a 75 around her home course to sit two over.

Tomorrow sees the final round of stroke play over the two courses before the top 64 men and 32 women progress to the match play stages at Moortown.