SCOTT'S THE MANN WITH BIG
LEAD IN SCOTTISH OPEN
STROKE AT ROYAL DORNOCH

Former Scotland boy international Scott Mann, pictured right, has not done anything on the national scene for a while - he did win the Craw's Nest Tassie over his home Carnoustie course a couple of years ago - but he looks set to be in the final shake-up of the Bidwells Scottish men's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Dornoch this weekend.

With some players still to finish their second rounds, Mann, who father was a Walker Cup player and uncle is a prominent Tartan Tour professional, occupied the No 1 position on 10-under-par 132 after rounds of 67 and 65 over the classic course, which, like all links, is vulnerable in windless conditions as they had today.

After he won the Craw's Nest Tassie, Mann said that he was going to spend the following season (2006) chasing a place in the Scotland international team and then consider turning professional. Neither event has happened so far but victory tomorrow would perhaps bring both a step closer.

At the moment, Scott is making a good living caddieing every day over the Carnoustie course that will host the Open next month.

Mann leads by four shots from Germany-based professional's son Ben Parker (67-69).
Scottish amateur match-play champion Kevin McAlpine is tied for third place with 67 and 70 for three-under-par 137.
Overnight leader Gary Boyd from Oxfordshire dropped back to thjis mark with a second-round 71.
The dividing line at the end of 36 holes was 146. Those with totals of 147 and over were eliminated.

SCOREBOARD
Par 140 (2 x 70).
132 S Mann (Carnoustie) 67 65.
136 B Parker (Eng) 67 69.
137 K McAlpine (Alyth) 67 70, A Bernadet (Fra) 70 67, A Kaleka (Fra) 68 68, G Boyd (Cherwell Edge) 66 71, M Cryer (Coventry) 68 68.
138 P O'Hara (Colville Park) 69 69.
139 B Akesson (Swe) 68 71, T Rosendahl (Swe) 68 71.
140 D Marmion (Delamere Forest) 71 69, J Byrne (Banchory) 70 70, D Stewart (Grantown-on-Spey) 69 71.
141 W Booth (Comrie) 69 72, M Baldwin (Royal Birkdale) 68 73, J Hurst (Shaw Hill) 71 70, S Henry (Cardross) 73 68, G Turner (West Linton) 67 74, H Norlander (Swe) 71 70, C Gray (West Kilbride) 70 71.
142 M Thistleton (Hayling) 69 73, M Lamb (Haddington) 73 69, L De Jager (SAf) 72 60.
143 R McKnight (Barassie) 71 72, G Paterson (St Andrews New) 67 76, L Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 70, D Elder (Carnoustie) 71 72.
144 P McLean (Peterhead) 76 68, M Clark (Kilmacolm) 73 71, B Fotheringham (Forres) 73 71, G Dear (Murrayshall) 73 71, D Simpson (Crieff) 70 74.
145 J Gunn (Royal Dornoch) 73 72, M Novy (Czech Rep) 69 76, A Biggadike (US) 76 69, A Dick (Shotts) 73 72, S McEwan (Caprington) 73 72.
146 S McAllister (Craigielaw) 72 74, R Jones (Orchardleigh) 75 71, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 74 72, E McIntosh (Newmachar) 74 72, J Dale (Rochford Hundred) 71 75, K Hamilton (Whitecraigs) 74 72, C Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 72 74, B McGrory (Aus) 72 74, K Nicol (Fraserburgh), K McNicoll (Carnoustie) 69 77, M Kerr (Craigielaw) 78 68, S Borrowman (Dollar) 71 75, C Macaulay (Tulliallan) 76 70, B Soutar (Leven GS) 74 72.
MISSED THE CUT
147 S Piaget (Swi) 75 72, M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 78 69, A Main (Thornton) 73 74, M Hillson (Craigielaw) 71 76, R Neil-Jones (Rochester & Cobham Park) 72 75, G Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 70 77.
148 O Bonning (Swe) 74 74, J King (Glasgow) 73 75, R Thornton (US) 75 73, E Richardson (Southern Valley) 73 75, T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 70 78, D Addison (Barassie) 76 72, R Laino (Bedford & Co) 77 72, J White (Lundin) 72 76.
149 N Glans (Swe) 78 71, R Kellett (Colville Park) 79 70, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 76, P Betty (Hayston) 77 72, R Wingardh (Swe) 69 80, J Clarke (Royal Montrose) 73 76, J Heslip (Monifieth) 73 76, J Duff (Newmachar) 76 73.
150 J Freeman (Worksop) 76 74, M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 77 73, C Schwierz (Ger) 80 70, W Shucksmith (Alwoodley) 76 74, J Guillet (Fra) 76 74, C Donaldson (Downfield) 73 77, S O'Brien (US) 77 73, D Henderson (Hamilton) 73 77, O Sharpe (Minchinhampton) 75 75, E Forbes (Inverness).
151 R Noon (Longniddry) 79 72, D Corsby (Fleetwood) 75 76, R Gibson (Aus) 73 78, S Ashwood (Northants) 78 73, L Calitz (SAf) 76 75, M Bozio (Fra) 75 76, P Okan (Ger) 73 78.
152 J Mathers (Haggs Castle), S Herald (Whitecraigs), I Powell (Murcar Links), D Murray (Newbattle) 75 77, J Kennegard (Swe) 75 77, G Mitchell (Braemar) 74 78.
152 K Smyth (Windyhill) 76 77, J Forbes (Inverness) 80 73, T Hayes (West Byfleet) 74 79, S Larkin (Banchory) 72 81, M MacDonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 80 73, J Lindberg (Swe) 78 75, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 72 81, J Welsh (Aus) 79 74.
154 J Watt (Brokenhurst Manor) 73 81, G Duncan (Caledonian) 75 79, M Main (Thornton) 81 73, L Smith (Surrey National) 79 75.
155 J Lando-Casanova (Fra) 80 75, S Neilson (Dunbar) 79 76, J Palmer (Kirby Muxloe) 82 73, E Polson (Inverness) 77 78, R Cameron (Brora) 79 76.
156 S Marshall (Catterick) 79 77, D Yeats (Newmachar) 80 76, A Culverwell (Dunbar) 79 77, F Guyon (Fra) 79 77.
157 S Lewton (Woburn) 79 78, J-C Bertin (Fra) 78 79.
159 T Dogil (Ger) 72 87.
160 E Laird (Royal Aberdeen) 83 77, R Dixon (Barassie) 79 81.
161 R Hyland (Hazlehead) 83 78, R Bell (Downfield) 81 80, K Matheson (Royal Dornoch) 87 74, B Dudding (Newquay) 83 78.
162 R Graham (Hayston) 83 79, D Thorburn (Thurso) 84 78.
163 R Maunder (Cumberwell Park) 82 81.
164 R McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 84 80.
167 M Ferries (Tain) 85 82.
168 N Howitt (Nairn Dunbar) 88 80, R Miller (US) 83 85, P McGhee (US) 84 84.
Disq: B St John (US), T Bethel (US).
Withdrew: T McLevy (Blairgowrie), G O'Neil.
Retired: S Clark (Haggs Castle), R Anderson (Duddingston).
No Returns: A Ait Lafkih (Ivory Coast), S Elder (Kirkcaldy).