EDWARD TROPHY CUT TO THREE ROUNDS

AFTER LIGHTNING SUSPENDS GAILES PLAY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON (Colin@scottishgolfview.com)
A thunder and lightning storm which circled round North Ayrshire for the best part of two to three hours, eventually ending in a downpour, resulted in the Edward Trophy 72-hole men’s open tournament – an SGU Order of Merit event – being cut to three rounds, the last two of which will be played on Sunday over the Glasgow Gailes links.
Saturday’s first round had been completed and the players sent out again for round two when play was suspended around 4pm when the early-warning system first detected lightning in the immediate vicinity.
The players were immediately called in off the course or told to take shelter if they were too far away from the clubhouse.
Several times over the next two to three hours, the organisers were on the point on resuming play only to have their hopes dashed when the dark thunder clouds rolled back in over the course, brining with them the danger of lightning.
Eventually, it was decided there was not enough daylight left to complete a second round so it was abandoned.
Two Colville Park Golf Club, Motherwell players, Ross Kellett and Paul O’Hara will head the field going into the final 36 holes and will partner each other.
Kellett post an excellent round of five-under-par 66 with halves of 35 (one under par) and 31 (four under par). He had six birdies in all, two of them 2s at short holes, and one bogey.
Paul O’Hara had a bogey-free 68 with three birdies.
Scottish stroke-play champion Wallace Booth (Comrie) was one of a cluster of player son 72 with an inward half of one-under-par 34, despite a double bogey 5 at the short 15th.
The leading 40 players and ties with scores of 77 or better qualified for Sunday’s play. .
QUALIFIERS FOR FINAL TWO ROUNDS
Par 71. 6903yd
66 Ross Kellett (Colville Park).
68 Paul O’Hara (Colville Park).
69 Andrew Campbell (Dunbarton), Gavin Dear (Murrayshall), Steven McEwan (Caprington).
71 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New), Daniel Somerville (St Andrews).
72 Philip McLean (Peterhead), John Miller (Gullane), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), James Ross (Roya Burgess), Liam McGowan (St Andrews New), Wallace Booth (Comrie), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire).
73 Jamie MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle), Gordon Yates (Hilton Park), Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle), Daniel Young (Craigie Hill), John Laurie (Cowglen), James White (Lundin).
74 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), William Bremner (Edzell), Scott Borrowman (Dollar).
75 John Duff (Newmachar), Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs), Nicky Gold (Bonnyton), Michael Campbell (Renfrew), Ben Sloan (Cathkin Braes), Paul Shields (Kirkhill).
76 George Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), Kevin Smyth (Windyhill), David Marshall (Dalmahoy), Paul Betty (Hayston), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Graeme Gorrie (Glasgow), David Law (Hazlehead),
77 Arron Howard (Murrayshall), Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton), Scott Stewart-Cation (Ladybank), Kyle Smith (Troon Welbeck), Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie).
MISSED THE CUT
78 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn), George Brass (Blairgowie), Darren Timms (Mid Kent), Fraser Campbell (Clober), Paul Gault (Westerwood), Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle).

79 Conor O’Neill (Glasgow), Michael Dailly (Erskine).
80 Stephen Rennie (Drumpellier), Chris Robb (Inchmarlo), Colin Mundie (Falkirk)..
81 Graham Turner (West Linton), Colin Carson (Innellan), Andrew Campbell (Deeside), Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Kenneth Anderson (Falkirk Carmuirs).
82 Stephen Clark (US).
83 Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle), Shaun McGarvey (Glencorse).
84 Garry Price (Paisley), Graham Bolton (Bute).
86 James Hendrick (Pollok).

LEADING THIRD-ROUND TEE TIMES ON SUNDAY

10.00 Steven McEwan & Gavin Dear.

10.08 Paul O'Hara and Ross Kellett.