When play was suspended for darkness on Thursday in the first round of the Challenge Tour’s English Trophy at Frilford Heath in Abingdon, JC Ritchie was on one-under-par through 12 holes.

That put him seven strokes behind the leaders Daniel Young of Scotland and Filip Mruzek of the Czech Republic, who had completed their rounds with a pair of 64s. They were one clear of England’s Jonathan Thomson and the Swedish pair of Henric Surehed and Simon Forsstrom, who had completed their rounds at 65, and France’s Adrien Saddier who was seven-under through nine.

Bryce Easton was on level-par through 15 and Deon Germishuys was one-over through 12.