Lowey heads qualifiers

A 24 hour delay didn’t put off Paul Lowey as he headed the list of qualifiers at the 81st Men’s Isle of Man Golf Championship.

The three-times former champion hit a superb first round score of 64 at Rowany – just two shots off the course record – followed by a 73 to finish on 137, one ahead of another former champion Darryl Callister and Tom Gandy.

There was plenty of drama in the Grant Thornton competition with a seven man play-off needed to seal the final spot.

That was eventually whittled down to a three-man sudden death won by Richard Gault.

The matchplay stages tomorrow (Tuesday) line up as follows:
Lowey v Gary Wilson - 4.30pm
Kevin Moore v Gault – 4.40pm
Herman Loubser v Julian Sutton – 4.50pm
Richard Skillicorn v Peter Glover – 5pm
Callister v Gerald Bradley – 5.10pm
Liam Cowin v Tom Harris – 5.20pm
Ged Power v Jason Watterson – 5.30pm
Gandy v Jonathan Corke – 5.40pm