Welshman Mark Pilkington is confident that he is returning to the level of performance that made him a European Tour regular. After taking second place at last week’s Challenge Tour event in Morocco, the 28 year old stormed into the lead at the Morson International Pro-Am Challenge with a brilliant opening score of eight under par 62 at the Marriott Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club.
Pilkington stole the show during the opening round, producing a wonderful display over the 6791 yard par 70 lay out to lead England’s Zane Scotland by two strokes, with the Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, England’s Simon Lilly and Argentina’s Gustavo Rojas a shot further back on five under par.
The last time Pilkington posted that kind of score was at the 2002 Trophée Lancôme, the same season he managed a career best finish of 81st place on The European Tour Order of Merit.
Starting his first round on the back nine, the Welshman went to the ‘turn’ five under par 30 thanks to a run of three successive birdies on the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. He produced a similarly strong finish on the front nine, picking up shots on three of his last five holes of the day, including a fine birdie two on the 205 yard par three ninth.
“That’s the first time I have gone without a bogey for a long time,” smiled Pilkington, who took second place at last week’s Tikida Hotels Agadir Moroccan Classic behind the history-making Frenchman Adrien Mörk.
“I just played really well, I think I only missed one green and the putting was very good today. It was just very solid and I’ve just continued from where I left off last week in Morocco.
“The last time I shot 62 was in the Trophée Lancôme in 2002. I shot 62 on the final round and jumped about 30 spots on the leaderboard, but that shows how long it’s been – too long.”
Since that 2002 season, Pilkington has suffered a dramatic loss in form, from European Tour contender to a player who seemed to have lost his way on the Challenge Tour. But, with the help of his life-long coach, his father, John, Pilkington is beginning to rediscover the confidence that took him to the top level.
“I am starting to feel that my game is progressing and it feels like it’s close to where it once was. I took a lot from playing well for four rounds last week and I think it is just a case of confidence breeding confidence and we have seen that today.
“One of the main things that I have improved is the way I am driving the ball, and this game is a lot easier when you are playing to the greens off the fairways than from the rough. As a result of getting the driver going again I have been scoring a lot better. I’m looking to birdie every par five that I play now, while I have been making a lot of bogeys on the par fives over the last few seasons.
“Things are definitely getting better for me. I have been working hard with my dad and, as I said, the confidence is returning, but it has been a while and I have really struggled over the past few years. My dad’s the only coach I have ever and it’s nice to have him on the bag this week.
“We have a pretty good relationship on the course and we agreed a few years ago that he wouldn’t try to change anything I was doing on the golf course. It can be too difficult if you have your coach trying to get you to change things in the middle of a round, so we leave that for the range.
“But it’s good to have him here this week, we’re even sharing a room at the hotel down the road, so my relationship with him must be alright!"
