There's no stopping James Byrne: Four

stroke lead with 65 in East Open

Whatever Banchory golf James Byrne is having for breakfast these past two or so weeks, it's working wonders for him.
Last 16 of the British amateur championship .... seven-shot winner (twice equalling the course course) of the Tennant Cup ... second top Open regional qualifier at Musselburgh.
And now, in the first round of this weekend's SGU Order of Merit 72-holer, the Solar East of Scotland Open Championship at Lundin Golf Club's links course, the 20-year-old Arizona State University student has streaked four shots clear of the field with a six-under-par 65 in the first round.
What a pity the Scotland squad for the forthcoming European team championship was selected before Byrne hit his purple patch of form! He is not in the line-up of six, named during the British amateur championship.
Byrne got off to a wonderful start with an eagle 2 at the first, followed byt birdies at the third, sixth, ninth, 14th, 16th and 18th in halves of 32 (four under par) and 33 (two under par).
Bogeys at the eighth and 12th were only minor irritations for Byrne who won the Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship before he went to Arizona State University on a four-year golf scholarship.
Former British amateur champion Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire), beaten in a three-way play-off last year, is lying second on 69 going into the second round.
Tournament director David Moir reports that the weather down Fife way is not so good as it is in Aberdeen, for example - fog-delayed start, followed by rain ... and no sunshine. Well that was the position there around lunchtime.

FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
65 James Byrne (Banchory).
69 Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire).
70 Brett Drewitt (Australia), Michael Williams (Austrealia), Alex Main (Thornton),James Hamilton (New Zealand).
71 Michael Main (Thornton), Ross Crowe (Westerhope), James White (Lundin), Mohammed Arie Irawan (Malaysia), Philip McLean (Peterhead), Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle), Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire), David Law (Hazlehead), Daniel Sommerville (St Andrews)..
72 Gordon Yates (HIlton Park), Paul Ferrier (Baberton), Steven McEwan (Caprington), Scott Borrowman (Dollar), Ross Bell (Downfield).
73 Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), Raphael Becker (Brazil), Barry McDermott (Leven GS), Scott Pinckney (Arizona State Univ), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Paul Betty (Hayston), Henry Smart (Banstead Downs)..
74 Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth), Greg Paterson (St Andrews New), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Steven Meiklejohn (Lundin).
75 James Hendrick (Pollok), Michael Daily (Erskine), Liam McGowan (St Andrews New), Gary Tough (Letham Grange).
76 Martin Brown (Monifieth), Nick Robson (Meldrum House), James Ross (Royal Burgess), Lewis Kirton (Newmachar), Paul Gault (Kirkhill), Robert Carson (Marriott Dalmahoy), David Simpson (Crieff), Scott Stewart-Cation (Ladybank), Francisco Pintor Smith (Spain), Sean Riordan (New Zealand), Justin Duff (Fraserburgh), Mark Hillson (Creaigielaw), Fraser McKenna (Balmore).
77 Peter Latimer (St Andrews New), Adam Andrews (Ashton in Markerfield), Dave Thomas (Braintree), Nick Farr (Craigie Hill), Jamie Mackay (Kilmarnock Barassie), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh).
78 Ryan Clatworthy (S Africa), Tom Gambie (Burhill), Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park), Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie), Craig Stephen (Meldrum House).
79 Steven Rennie (Drumpellier), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle).
80 Lincoln Tighe (Australia), Derek Paton (Dunnikier Park), Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall), Jonathan Brain (US).
81 Craig Hamilton (New Zealand).
82 John Duff (Newmachar).
86 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
Withdrew - Jim White (Leven Thistle) after 9 holes, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) after 9 holes, John Miller (Gullane) 77, Fraser Campbell (Clober) 82.

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