SCOTS STRUGGLE IN
COSTA RICA OPEN

Two former Scottish amateur champions, Andrew McArthur and George Murray, past European Tour Rookie of the Year Scott Henderson and a former SGU Order of Merit winner Jamie McLeary never threatened to break par in the opening round of this week's European Challenge Tour event, the Costa Rica Open at Cariari Country Club, San Jose.
Later starters Henderson and McLeary finished on five-over-par 76 and eight-over 79 respectively.
Henderson, starting at the 10th, had a double bogey 6 at the 11th but got back to one over par after nine holes with birdies at the 13th and 14th plus another bogey at the 15th.
The Aberdonian had a disastrous run when he came to the front nine. He bogeyed the second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh before birdieng the eighth and was four over par for his second nine holes.
FRONT NINE MORE DIFFICULT
McLeary was two over par after nine holes, having bogeyed the 10th, 13th, 14th and 17th but birdied the 12th and 18th. Like Henderson, Jamie found the front nine holes much more difficult. He bogeyed the first and then had dobule bogeys at the third and fifth before dropping yet another shot at the sixth. He required 41 shots for his second nine.
McArthur returned a three-over-par 74 after bogeying every hole from the first to the fourth. After chalking up another bogey at the 10th, running up a double bogey at the 11th.
On the credit side, Andrew birdied the sixth, eighth, 14th and 18th in halves of 37.
Rookie pro Murray will be fighting to make the halfway cut after a 76 in which the Fifer was four over par after four holes, a double bogey at the third and single shots shed at the second and fourth.
Having almost repaired the damage with birdies at the fifth, seventh and ninth, Murray promptly let it slip again with bogeys at the 10th, 12th and 13th. A birdie 4 at the long 14th was followed by a double bogey 6 at the 15th in an inward half of 40.
Peter Whiteford, the fifth Scot in the field, was one of the last to go out. He was one over par after nine holes, having started at the 10th and double-bogeyed he 15th.
Walker Cup player Robert Dinwiddie from the north of England was the early clubhouse leader with a five-under-par 66 in which he birdied the first, fifth, seventh, eighth, 12th and 14th before he had his only bogey, at the 17th in halves of 31 and 35.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71
66 Robert Dinwiddie (Eng).
67 Olivier David (Fra).
68 Alvaro Ortiz (Costa Rica) (am), Jamie Little (Eng).
Scottish scores:
74 Andrew McArthur.
76 George Murray, Scott Henderson.
79 Jamie McLeary.