SAM McLAREN (68) STARS FOR

SCOTS IN EUROPEAN BOYS'

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

It will be a case of “Play it again, Sam!” in the second qualifying round of the European boys’ team golf championship at Rold Skov Golf Club, Denmark tomorrow.

For Sam McLaren, pictured right, from the King James VI Golf Club, Perth was the Scots hero – and the outstanding individual player from all 20 countries with a brilliant round of four-under-par 68. That was two strokes better than anyone else managed.
Sam’s great effort helped Scotland to achieve a first-round total of 367, which put them in fifth place behind Italy (357), Sweden (363), and England and Norway (both 364).
The top eight teams at the end of the second qualifying round make up the championship flight.
Last year Scotland made it all the way to the final before losing to Norway.
McLaren, who won the Scottish Under-16 boys’ title at Deeside GC this week 12 months ago, birdied the first and bogeyed the sixth before a purple, five-under-par patch for the next 10 holes with birdies at the eighth, 11th, 12th, 14th and 16th. A bogey 4 at the short 17th saw him home in three-under-par 33.
Banchory’s James Byrne, who played for Scotland’s men’s team at Western Gailes last week, was Scotland’s second top scorer with a par-matching 72 (37-35).
Paul Shields (Kirkhill) had a 74 (37-37) and so too did Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) with halves of 38 and 36.
Scottish schoolboys champion Neil Henderson had the last counting socre of 79 (39-40). Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) had the non-counting Scots score of 82 (42-40).
FIRST-ROUND TEAM TOTALS
357 Italy.
363 Sweden.
364 England, Norway.
367 Scotland (S McLaren 68, J Byrne 72, M Stewart 74, P Shields 74, N Henderson 79. NC: A Campbell 82).
371 Denmark.
372 France.
373 Ireland.
374 Netherlands.
376 Finland, Spain.
379 Austria.
381 Germany.
384 Wales.
385 Portugal, Czech Rep.
388 Switzerland.
390 Slovenia.
398 Belgium.
407 Hungary.