Yorkshire golf: Marcus Armitage, Daniel Gavins and Nick Marsh all impress on first day ‘at school’

Howley Hall’s Marcus Armitage shot 66 and lies tied fourth at Panoramica.

His fellow EuroPro Tour competitor Daniel Gavins, of Oulton Hall, carded a 68 at Lumine, the same score Huddersfield GC’s Nick Marsh recorded at Las Colinas.

Armitage, twice a winner on the EuroPro Tour this year, got off to an exhilarating start, reeling off three successive birdies from the second hole.

He added another at seven and had four more on the back nine – at holes 11, 13, 16 and 18 – the only blemishes on his card being bogeys at holes 12 and 17.

Gavins had three birdies in his round and closed with two at 17 and 18 to lift himself into a tie for 14th.

Former English Amateur champion Marsh started at the 10th hole and was two under through four holes after birdies at 11 and 13.

He dropped a shot at 17, but recovered it immediately at the next to be ‘out’ in 34.

He had the same score on the following nine, thanks to eight pars and a birdie at hole seven, and lies equal 13th.

The 72-hole events at four venues, the other being at Campo de Golf El Saler, will see an as yet unspecified number of players progress to next week’s Final Stage at Catalunya.