STEWART CUTS BYRNE LEAD TO ONE STROKE

James Byrne's five-stroke overnight lead was cut to one by Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) in the third round of the Scottish boys' open amateur stroke-play championship at Cardrona Hotel & Golf Resort, near Peebles today.

Stewart had a brilliant morning round of seven-under-par 65 in distinctly wet conditions, both underfoot and overhead. That improved his overall standing to 10-under-par 206.

Banchory's Byrne, still five shots clear after nine holes of the third round, both having gone out in four-under 32, had his big advantage eaten into on the inward half.

Two holes – the 10^th and the 18^th – saw two-shot swings in favour of Stewart who had a birdie 3 at both while Byrne had bogey 5s.

In all, Stewart had seven birdies in a bogey-free round – the first, second, foufrth, seventh, 10^th, 13^th and 18^th.

Byrne, on the other hand, had five birdies – at the first, third, fourth, seventh and 17^th – and bogeys at the ninth and 18^th.

LEADERBOARD

Par 216 (3 x 72) CSS 73 73 72

205 J Byrne (Banchory) 67 69 69.

206 M Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 69 72 65.

210 S Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 72 72 66.

213 N Henderson (Glen) 71 72 70.

214 A Wallace (Glenbervie) 71 71 72.

215 C Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 69 75 71, G Richards (Kingsknowe) 74 71 70.

216 D Young (Craigie Hill) 74 71 71, D Parlane (Helensburgh) 72 74 70.

217 A McLachlan (Bonnyton) 74 68 75, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 69 75, I Allan (Hopeman) 75 71 71.

218 C Robb (Inchmarlo) 76 71 71, J Hamilton (NZ) 75 71 72.

219 C Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 73 74 72, P McPhee (King James VI) 75 72 72, G Daviedson (Winterfield) 69 772 73, S McLaren (King James VI) 70 74 75, S McGarvey (Glencorse) 72 72 75.

220 M Bookless (Sandyhills) 77 73, A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 75 72 73.

221 T Spencer (Inchmarlo) 74 75 72, E Brown (Barassie) 76 70 75.