Craig Lee savours 'phenomenal' 66 at blustery Newmachar in Scottish Challenge

Not since he flirted with shooting the first sub-60 round on the European Tour in Switzerland nine years ago has Craig Lee lit up a scorecard with so many birdies.

He started his opening round in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge at Newmachar with four on the spin, finished it with three in a row and signed for nine in total.

It was a pity that his card also contained four bogeys, but, nonetheless, a five-under-par 66 was still a fine day’s work from the 45-year-old at the Aberdeenshire venue.

“Didn’t see that start coming,” admitted Lee of an effort that left him in a tie for third as Englishman Nathan Kimsey set the pace in the £230,000 event with a splendid 64 in blustery conditions.

Craig Lee plays his tee shot to the 10th hole during day one of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Newmachar. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images.

The Stirling man stiffed his approach at the first and second, knocked it to a foot at the third before converting an eight-footer at the fourth in his stunning start.

“Went from thinking about shooting ten-under to level would be all right,” he said of then going on a bogey run for the rest of the front nine before finding his groove again on the inward journey.

“Five-under after five holes would have been a good score; five-under after 18 holes was a phenomenal score,” he added, smiling.

Lee held a European Tour card for five straight seasons, finishing 59th in the Race to Dubai in 2013, when he lost to Thomas Bjorn in a play-off in the European Masters.

These days, the majority of Lee’s time is taken up by a ‘Pros on the Road’ business he set up to provide coaching and club repairs at some of the more remote clubs in Scotland.

“It’s been really good,” he said of a project he’s taken on with genuine enthusiasm. “Latest club to come on board is Traigh in Arisaig, so I can add that visit when I’m going up to Skye. “Falkland in Fife have signed up as well and I also have Millport, Tarbert and there’s a couple more. A lot of the clubs just don't have people to do junior coaching. So it’s been interesting, but really good.”

The downside at the moment is clocking up lots of miles when the cost of fuel is sky high. “Aye,” he said of that. “There’s not much economy in a three-and-a-half-tonne van!”

Lee’s start came on a day when he was surrounded by some old faces. Tournament promoter Paul Lawrie being one while another European Tour winner, Raymond Russell, who is taking in the event in his role for Nike.

“It’s always nice just to keep reminding yourself that it’s potentially still in there,” admitted Lee, who secured his invitation from the PGA in Scotland. “I don’t think I’m ever going back out to the Challenge Tour full-time, so it’s a one-off.

“My priorities are different now. I really need to get this business up and running and make it a little more self-sustaining before I think about playing again. Speak to me on Sunday, I might change my mind about that!”

While he’s normally the one giving lessons these days, he needed one himself recently and turned to Steven Rosie, the professional at Glenbervie, his old club.

“I was thinking that’s the first lesson I’ve had in two years. That shows how much effort I’ve been putting into the business of late,” said Lee.

“I don’t think it’s ever far away but, even coming into this week I thought it was still further away than I wanted it to be. Had a really good session on the range this morning and I thought, ‘that’ll work’. But I thought it might not be that great on the course. But there you go.”

Admitting he has one eye on the opportunity to play seniors’ golf in five years’ time, this week’s test is up his street and not just because he’s among those in the field to have played at Newmachar on a number of occasions in the past.

“I know the course quite well, which helps,” he said. “If it was a bombers’ course I probably wouldn’t have accepted the invitation. But here it’s right and I can thread a driver up near these boys’ 4-irons.

“I walked the course on Tuesday and made notes. Whereas recently I’ve just walked up, smashed it off the first tee and gone after it.”

On a day when the bulk of the best scoring came in the morning, Kimsey produced a bogey-free effort, which earned him a one-shot lead over fellow Englishman Marco Penge.

“It was a good day,” said Kimsey, a 29-year-old who is seeking his maiden Challenge Tour triumph. “I played solid throughout and the conditions were pretty calm this morning.

“There are high winds forecasted for the rest of the week so I knew it was important to post a low score today and not make any silly mistakes. I just focused on keeping the ball in play, hitting greens and then, luckily, I rolled in some putts.”

Danny Kay, the first man out, was next best among the Scottish contingent with a 67, two better than Kieran Cantley, while Sean Lawrie, Paul’s nephew, and Calum Fyfe both signed for 69s.

In the tougher afternoon conditions, 2018 Open Silver Medal winner Sam Locke carded a 70, as did Jack McDonald, a winner on this course on the PGA EuroPro Tour, with Daniel Young opening with a 72.

Portugal’s Tomas Gouevia was on course to produce the best effort among the later starters until running up a quadruple-bogey 9 at the 16th, leaving him having to settle for a 71.

Paul Dunne, the 2017 British Masters champion, sits handily-placed after a 70, but former BMW PGA champion Matteo Manassero faces a fight to make the cut following a 74 that contained five dropped shots.