Ian Woosnam - upstaged by Mike Clayton

AUSTRALIAN Mike Clayton upstaged Jersey resident Ian Woosnam with a blistering eight under par 64 to lead the field by three strokes after the opening round of the Jersey Seniors Classic at La Moye Golf Club.

The 52-year-old from Melbourne, who nowadays concentrates on golf course design, contemplated spending a month on the European Senior Tour as the ‘credit crunch’ created a lull in his business life, writes Gordon Simpson.

His decision to resume his playing career was then reinforced when he discovered that in successive weeks the Senior Tour would be visiting Ballybunion, La Moye and Royal Porthcawl.

As Woosnam, an honorary member of La Moye, struggled with his concentration and carded a two under par 70, Clayton revived memories of links golf in the UK by grabbing nine birdies on his way to creating daylight between himself and England’s Nick Job, who shot 67.

• See Saturday’s JEP for full story.