BELMONT young gun Hamish Ellison felt like he was at home after posting a three-over 75 to be one stroke off the pace after a wet and windy opening round of the NSW All Schools Championships at Yamba on Monday.
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The Hunter Sports High student carded four bogeys and a birdie at the last to trail Lachlan Jones (Dubbo) by a stroke.
Jack Newton Junior Golf territory manager Mark Ingrey said the conditions at the short but tight coastal course were horrendous.
"It was blowing really hard with drizzle-type rain," Ingrey said. "Then the wind would ease and there would be torrential rain. That would last for 10 minutes then the wind would pick up and the drizzle returned. I said to Hamish when he came off the course: "clearly you are a Belmont member". "He replied: "it wasn't that tough for me today."
Ellison is one of four Hunter players in the top 10 entering the second round.
Macquarie College duo Harry Cleare and Brij Ingrey are tied for fifth at four over, one stroke ahead of Jacob Dundas (West Wallsend).
Angus McMahon (Hunter Valley Grammar), Harry Atkinson (Macquarie College) are far off the pace at seven over. Josh Robards (Kotara High) is at nine over.
"The golf course is not that long," Ingrey said. "From the back tees it's only 5900-odd metres but it is very tight. With the wind and the rain, you only had to miss a shot by a small margin and you were in strife. The players who kept it straight and minimised their mistakes, scored pretty well."
In the girls, Kiana Toole (Belmont Christian College) is tied for 11th at 13 over, a stroke ahead of Jasmine Vesper (Singleton High).
Conditions are not expected to improve greatly on Tuesday.
"They are predicting about 15 millimetres of rain with 25 kilometres winds out of the south," Ingrey said.
The top 16 after 54 holes progress to match play on Thursday. At stake is a place in the NSW All Schools team to compete at the national championships in Perth in August
* In-form teenager Josh Robards claimed the Sugar Valley Cup on Saturday, before jumping in a car and travelling to Yamba in preparation for the NSW All School Championships.
The Kotara High student fired an even-par 58 to beat Justin Ely by two strokes.
Julie McCallum defended her women's crown from Amy Drain.
* Blake Windred has put a horror opening round at the British Amateur behind him and is confident of bouncing back to form at the European Amateur in Austria, starting Wednesday.
The Charlestown 21-year-old carded an 10-over 82 at Portmarnock to all but end his hopes of progressing to the match play. His second round 67 was the best of the day but he finished two shots outside the cut.
"I played some really good golf believe it or not but a couple of costly decisions towards the end of the round ended in a couple of bogeys and doubles," he said.
"I was extremely happy with how I got on with the job and took advantage of the better conditions in the second round and moved up 170 spots on the leader board."
Windred arrived in Vienna on Sunday.
"They are predicting it to be about 35 degrees but it still gets windy and there is water on 17 of the 18 holes," he said. "I've been practicing shaping my irons into the wind. That's one thing I could have done a better job of in Ireland. My driving and putting is feeling really good and they are my keys to playing well."
* Jye Pickin carded rounds of 74,70,72,70 to finish at six over and a tie for 39th at the World Junior Championships in Tokyo last week.
* The Hunter PSSA trials will be held at Waratah Golf Club next Monday. The event is open to all primary-aged boys and girls from public schools who have an official golflink number and handicap.
A team of up to eight players will be selected to represent the Hunter at the State Championships to be held at Leonay Golf Club in Sydney during term three.
As well as the trial, which is over 18 holes, there is a six hole, two person teams event for beginners. For information contact convenor, Matthew Jardine, via email at matthew.jardine@det.nsw.edu.au
