Rob Steele played early but felt he had to shoot a score in the 60s after an opening 81. Going for every flag Rob turned in +5 with all chances gone. He came home in level -

'Normally I am a good wind player', said Rob, 'But I've got a little swing fault which caused the problems.

'I am looking forward to the Berkshire this weekend, where there hopefully won't be so much of a breeze, and to go three shots better than last year - and win.'

Andy Sullivan was on the putting green at Princes, preparing for his second round start at 2.35, when the wind speed started to rise -

'It was impossible', said Andy, ' I hit a three iron as well as I can and it went 160 yards.'

Andy did make one birdie on the day, holing from 60ft on the last for a three, to shoot an 81 to go with his opening 79.

That first round had been at St Georges where he took many fives in his opening 14 holes had left him +4 - before the dreaded par four 15th took its toll (Andy carded a 7). A bogey at the 17th and Andy knew he had to shoot level par or one under at Princes to make it through. The only player to do this was Gary Wolstenholme who played very early on.

Matt Cryer shot a 74 on Day 1, at Princes. It could have been four shot better as Matt finished his last five holes with two double bogies, one of them on a par five where Matt was in perfect position for a birdie. Matt would have needed to have been no worse that one under par 71, on the first day, to have made it through as he played the Open Championship links at St Georges in 81, in the worst of the winds.

'On the par four 8th (455 yards) I hit a good driver then a two iron, really low to keep it under the wind. I didn't make it across the rubbish (there is a gulley 70 yards short of the green) - neither id the guy from the US I was playing with and he hit a three wood!'

'On the greens the ball was moving and you were moving.'

Matt found more trouble on the notorious par five 14th where he took seven and then just mishit his drive slightly on the 15th, resulting more dropped shots as Matt's drive flew away into the thick rough.

'I finished with three pars for that 81', continued Matt, 'It was just one of those days - unplayable!'

Paul Randle, the only one of our 'trio' in last weeks St Andrews Trophy to make it through to play all 72 holes, opened with a 79 at Princes, leaving last year's Warwickshire Amateur Champion with the task of playing St Georges in no more than 73. There were two scores in the 60s from players who teed off before 9am but Paul had no chance and took an 82.

Another example of how much more difficult it was, was what befell ex professional Neil Connolly who was the first round leader with a 68 at Princes. Around St Georges, Connolly took an 85 to miss by at least one shot on a matchplay field of 64 which will include the likes of Oliver Fisher.

Our four players will all be in action this weekend with Matt, Andy and Paul making up one half of the six players who will represent Warwickshire in the EGU County 6s. They will have much better conditions and have a really good chance of taking Warwickshire through to the County Finals - to be held at Princes - in early September. It would be the perfect Centenary success and if you would like to come along as see the best 60 golfers in the Midlands trying to make it through to Kent for their repsective Counties, you are more than welcome. The course is Church Brampton, in Northants.