David GonzalezGeorge Bloor took command of the English Open supported by HotelPlanner with a seven under par 65 at the Vale Golf Club, producing the sort of back-nine burst that makes a leaderboard look as though it has been attacked with a red pen and a grudge.
The Englishman finished the opening round one shot clear in Worcestershire, ahead of Scotland’s Graeme Robertson, who sits alone in second after an opening 66.
For Bloor, it was a day built on clean driving, tidy putting and a closing stretch that moved from impressive to mildly indecent. Six birdies coming home will do that. Golf is supposed to be difficult, particularly in the wind, but Bloor spent much of Thursday making it look suspiciously manageable.
Bloor Finds His Rhythm At The Vale
“I did everything well really,” said Bloor. “I drove it well, gave myself loads of chances off the tee and putted nicely.
“I hit some good shots at the right time, then continued my momentum on the downwind holes and battled well into it. Six birdies to come home is always nice.”
That last line is doing a heroic amount of understatement. Six birdies to come home is not merely “nice”. It is the golfing equivalent of finding a parking space outside the clubhouse, holing a 40-footer and discovering the kitchen is still serving chips.
Starting on the tenth, Bloor made two birdies and one bogey across his opening nine, dropping a shot at the 17th before turning in one under par. Solid enough. Sensible enough. Nothing to frighten the local wildlife.
Then came the acceleration.
Birdies at the first and second moved him firmly into contention before three consecutive gains from the fourth carried him up the English Open leaderboard. An eighth birdie of the day, arriving on his penultimate hole, gave him the outright lead at seven under.
Wind, Wedges And A Very Useful Driver
The Vale Golf Club was no pushover for the early starters, with strong winds making club selection and tee-shot control awkward enough to test patience, trajectory and possibly one or two friendships.
Bloor, though, handled it smartly. His round was not just hot putting and cheerful mathematics. It was built on position, control and making the most of the holes where the wind offered a hand rather than a slap.
“I made the most of the downwind holes on my back nine and gave myself wedges into holes which are usually pretty long on the card,” he added.
“I took care of the par fives well, birdied two of them and then stiffed one on a par three.
“If you drive it well, you can give yourself chances, which I did. I think you can probably get yourself into some trouble behind trees and in the deep rough if you’re not on it off the tee.”
That last point matters. In wind, optimism off the tee can become expensive very quickly. Bloor’s driving allowed him to attack the right holes, protect himself on the awkward ones and avoid the long grass and tree trouble that can turn a professional scorecard into a distress signal.
Swiss Challenge Form Carries Into Worcestershire
Bloor arrived at the English Open supported by HotelPlanner with momentum already tucked neatly in the bag. A fortnight ago, he held the 54-hole lead at the Swiss Challenge before finishing tied second.
That result did not bring the victory he wanted, but it did confirm something useful: his game is in good enough shape to contend. Now, sitting 47th on the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings and chasing a first promotion to the DP World Tour, he has given himself another chance to make a serious move.
“I’ve just got to try and give myself as many chances in tournaments as possible and focus on shooting as many low scores as I can,” he said.
“I feel like my game has been good for a while and it’s nice to see the scores backing that up.”
There is a plainness to that assessment that rather suits him. No grand speech. No lyrical nonsense about journeys and processes. Just a player seeing the shots finally match the feeling, which is generally when golf becomes less of a psychological wrestling match and more of a sport.
Chasing Pack Keeps Bloor Honest
Robertson’s 66 leaves him one adrift and well placed after round one, while a large and international chasing group sits at five under par.
Spain’s Javier Calles Roman, Belgian Matthis Besard, Sweden’s Per Längfors, Slovakia’s Tadeáš Tetak, Denmark’s Anders Emil Ejlersen and American Jhared Hack all share third position.
That cluster gives the English Open a nicely crowded early shape. Bloor has the lead, but not the luxury of daylight. One loose hour on Friday and half of Europe, plus an American, could be rummaging through his pockets.
The second round of the English Open supported by HotelPlanner begins at 7:30 am on Friday. Bloor will tee off at 2:10 pm alongside Hack and American Dan Erickson, by which time he will know exactly what the morning wave has managed to do.
For now, he has the advantage, the form and the scorecard. In a week where wind, rough and promotion pressure are all lurking, that is not a bad collection to carry into Friday.
Golf rarely hands out comfort. But after a seven under par 65 and six birdies in his final nine holes, Bloor has at least earned the right to sleep with the leaderboard in a slightly better mood.
