It’s an all too familiar story in Professional golf, players turning up at a golf tournament but their clubs unfortunately not arriving at their destination.

It’s a story Callan O’Reilly wishes hadn’t become his
reality this week at the South Pacific Open Championship.

Jetting into New Caledonia from Europe after advancing to second stage of Qualifying School, O’Reilly was informed his clubs hadn’t arrived with him and were
still in Abu Dhabi.

Springing into action, the members of Tina Golf Club rallied
to find O’Reilly a suitable set of clubs to use, golf shoes and even filled his
contact lens prescription.

"I got lucky that a lot of the members here chipped in and
helped me out," said O’Reilly.

"They got me a good set of clubs to use and they helped me
get some contacts lenses for my eyes."

"They really went above and beyond to help me get out on the
course today."

Taking to the tee in the first round, O’Reilly had little
expectations on his performance, competing with unfamiliar clubs and with
little preparation.

However that seemed just the trick for O’Reilly who was
4-under after six holes early in his round.

"I had the putter hot early, not my putter obviously but everything
just wanted to go in," added O’Reilly.

"I think I was just so relaxed out there because I wasn’t
expecting a great deal."

"Probably because I got so low early I started expecting
things and cost myself a couple of shots on the back-9."

O’Reilly went on to finish 1-under the card due to a
quadruple bogey on the par-4 12^th hole which was caused by his eye
sight and not the borrowed clubs.

"I wasn’t really comfortable with the tee shot with the club
and I hit a bad shot into the hazard," said O’Reilly.

"I hit it out of the hazard, just into another hazard."

"My eyes are horrible, I am red-green colour blind, I
couldn’t see the red paint on the ground and I took a practice swing in the
hazard and cost myself a two stroke penalty in there."

Despite that error O’Reilly did well to get through his
round and still be in a good position heading into the second day.

"I did everything I could out there to give myself the best
round possible and I felt like I hit my irons, sorry Philippe’s irons, pretty
well."

 "I got a nice
quadruple bogey but other than that it was a positive day. I got the most out
of my round today except for that one hole."

O’Reilly’s clubs finally arrived on Wednesday night and he
is now on course in the second round playing his own set.