Canada's Markle Sparkles at Men's British Amateur Open

Markle posted a marvelous round of 4-under par 68 at the West Lancashire Golf Club in Liverpool, England, one of two courses being used. The Formby Golf Club in Formby, England (below) is the other.

The leader in the clubhouse at 7-under 65 is Matteo Manassero of Italy. A stroke behind is Matt Jazggeerf of Australia while Nigel Edwards of Whitchurch is alone in third at 67.   

Canada's National Men’s Amateur Team is competing in this event for the first time. The team members include North Vancouver's Eugene Wong (73); NCAA Division I Champion Matt Hill (76) of Bright’s Grove, Ont., the weorld's No. 4 ranked amateur and 2009 Mexican Amateur Championship runner-up Lindsay Renolds (76) of Christina Lake, B.C.

Other Canadians taking part are Christopher Ross (73) and Peter Sauerbrei (78).

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., another National team member, won the US Open sectional qualifier in Roslyn, Wash, and is playing in the US Open Championship in New York his week.
 
After 36 holes of stroke play the top 64 players in the field will begin match play competition on Wednesday at Formby Golf Club. Each match will be played over 18 holes, except the final round which will be over 36 holes, the same format used by the RCGA for the Canadian Amateur championship for many years until returning to 72-hole stroke play competition last year.