Graham Banister fronted an Australia charge in the Matrix Jersey Classic, firing a five under par 67 to take the clubhouse lead at La Moye Golf Club.
The 53 year old, who gained his European Senior Tour card at last November’s Qualifying School, posted seven birdies and two bogeys to move to nine under par for the tournament, with his compatriot David Merriman a shot back after a 65 alongside American Mike Cunning.
Banister has struggled to make an impact so far this season, with his best finish so far a share of 34th place in the Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS, but he is on course to improve on that after an impressive display on the Channel Island.
“I had 32 putts but I was near perfect from tee to green,” he said. “I’ve been working hard on my driving with my coach Josh Points in America who looks after a couple of PGA Tour players.
“He changed a couple of things and straightened my path as my driving was a little inside out. “
Banister is looking for another cause to celebrate a week after he married his partner Jill and he is delighted to be alongside his compatriot Merriman and another Australian, former European Tour winner Peter Fowler, at the sharp end of the leaderboard.
“All the Aussies went out for dinner last night and they’ve been great to me since I came on the Senior Tour,” he said. “They’ve been to telling me to relax and enjoy it.
“This course is actually quite like the one I grew up playing in New South Wales so I feel comfortable on it.”
Merriman’s 65 included eight birdies and just the one bogey on the 13th, as he move to eight under par for the tournament.
He said the key to his round was a fine performance on the greens which came as a result of some hard work on the practice putting green in recent weeks.
“I’d been having a bit of trouble starting my putts on line so I’ve worked on that and I was feeling more confident,” he said. “That was probably the best I’ve putted in two years. I was showing some good signs yesterday but I made everything today.”
Cunning, who won the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum on his debut last year, carded five birdies and an eagle in his round of 67.
It is overnight leader Gordon Brand Jnr who continues to set the pace out on the course, continuing where he left off at the end of his first round 63.
The Scot parred the first hole before three consecutive birdies to extend his lead. A bogey on the fifth hole slowed his progress but an eagle on the sixth saw him move to 13 under par as he chases his maiden Senior Tour title.
