Ashley Chesters so close to a dream round
Amateur Shropshire golfer Ashley Chesters today teed off his second round at The Open looking to put an agonising late collapse behind him.
Chesters went close to producing the round of his career at St Andrews as he surged to within touching distance of leader Dustin Johnson.
A perfect first 15 holes put the Hawkstone Park player at five under – just two behind the American.
But a disappointing finish saw the 26-year-old drop four shots in the last three holes to finish day one with a one under par 71.
Chesters ended tied 41st, along with Shrewsbury-born Sandy Lyle, and still in with a good chance of making the cut.
But it could have been so much better after a sensational start in which he picked up birdies at the third, fifth and sixth.
After hitting par on the next three, Chesters was right among the leading pack when he eagled the par-four 10th.
But Chesters, the third amateur after Tiger Woods and Edoardo Molinari to qualify for back-to-back Opens, suffered his first setback with a bogey on the 16th.
Another bogey followed on the 17th before the last hole, which hadn't caused too many problems throughout the day, resulted in a double bogey.
Chesters, who qualified by retaining his European Amateur title last August, missed the cut by one shot last year at Hoylake.
But he was hoping to extend his weekend in Scotland when he set off just after 10am with playing partners Harris English and Andy Sullivan.
Johnson, who finished second behind Jordan Spieth at last month's US Open, leads a group including Scotland's 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie and England's Danny Willett by one shot.
Tiger Woods carded a miserable 76 despite good conditions on the Scottish coast.
