FIRSTPOINTUSA.COM SCOTTISH BOYS' STROKE-PLAY
Jack McDonald from Barassie goes three
shots clear with two rounds to play
Ayrshire's Jack McDonald, joint overnight leader on 69 with Englishman Elliot Wilson, went clear of the field on his own with a one-under-par second-round 70 for a 36-hole tally of three-under-par 139 in the Firstpoint USA.com Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship at Ladybank Golf Club.
A total of 41 players with aggregates of 151 or better qualified for the final day's 36 holes at the testing inland Fife venue.
The biggest name among the non-qualifiers was Chris Robb (Inchmarlo), a member of the Scotland squad in the recent European boys championship, semi-finalist at the Scottish boys match-play championship at Balgownie in April and last year's Scottish schoolboys champion.
Chris never got his teeth into this one and with rounds of 78 and 77 for 155, he bowed out of a championship some thought he might win. For Tiger Woods, read Chris Robb. But Chris will be back, make not mistake about that.
The odds against Scottish match-play boys champion David Law (Hazlehead) becoming the fourth boy to achieve the match-play & stroke-play Under-18 double in the same year have gone out to about 50-1.
David has scored 73 and 76 for 149 to be 10 shots behind leader McDonald but you can't keep a good young man down for long and the Aberdonian protege of Paul Lawrie will be trying his hardest to climb up through the field over the final 36 holes and salvage something like a top-10 finish, maybe better. Who knows?
FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE:
Jack McDonald got off to a flying start with a birdie at the first and followed that with three more for an outward half of 34. Coached by Adam Hunter, the scratch golfer from the Kilmarnock Barassie club said, “My chip in for a 2 at the 8th was my highlight today. I made the most of my shots and provided you hit the ball straight here you have a good chance of scoring and I had another good day.”
After the turn, the SGU Academy player clinched another birdie 2 which alleviated the damage from four bogeys in his round which saw him finish with a 70.
“It feels great to be the clubhouse leader, everything with my game has started to click this season and I am really enjoying playing tournaments and getting more competitive," said McDonald.
“I put in a lot of practice and hard work into my game over the winter and it is good to see that starting to pay off.”
Scott Gibson carded a 68 today, the best round of the tournament so far in fairly mixed weather conditions at the Fife course. The player who hails from Southerness had an impressive front nine with seven consecutive pars and a brace of birdies before he turned for home. He recovered well from his only bogey of the day at the 12th by holing a 15ft putt for a 3 at the 14th and just missed another at the next before bagging a final birdie at the 16th.
The national U18 squad member said, “I only had one good putt yesterday but I think I really made up for it today. My iron shots were good today which got me much closer (to the flagsticks)and I just had to tap in on several greens. I am pleased with my round and relieved to have made the cut as I missed it by just one shot last year.
Gibson is tied for second place along with Bothwell Castle’s Colin Baird whose consistent play saw him return a second level par round. The University of Stirling student said, “I went back to my old Odyssey putter and it seems to have helped over the last two days. There were no big disasters or trials today and my aim is to try and keep things on track for tomorrow.”
David Gallagher from the Glasgow club aced the short eighth for a hole on his way to a 71 and now shares fourth place with former U14 champion Paul McPhee on 143.
One shot further back are Thomas Rowland, Ian Redford and erstwhile joint leader Elliot Wilson - who slipped off the pace after sharing the round one lead to finish the second day tied for sixth place.
SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE TWO-ROUND TOTALS AT LADYBANK
shots clear with two rounds to play
Ayrshire's Jack McDonald, joint overnight leader on 69 with Englishman Elliot Wilson, went clear of the field on his own with a one-under-par second-round 70 for a 36-hole tally of three-under-par 139 in the Firstpoint USA.com Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship at Ladybank Golf Club.
A total of 41 players with aggregates of 151 or better qualified for the final day's 36 holes at the testing inland Fife venue.
The biggest name among the non-qualifiers was Chris Robb (Inchmarlo), a member of the Scotland squad in the recent European boys championship, semi-finalist at the Scottish boys match-play championship at Balgownie in April and last year's Scottish schoolboys champion.
Chris never got his teeth into this one and with rounds of 78 and 77 for 155, he bowed out of a championship some thought he might win. For Tiger Woods, read Chris Robb. But Chris will be back, make not mistake about that.
The odds against Scottish match-play boys champion David Law (Hazlehead) becoming the fourth boy to achieve the match-play & stroke-play Under-18 double in the same year have gone out to about 50-1.
David has scored 73 and 76 for 149 to be 10 shots behind leader McDonald but you can't keep a good young man down for long and the Aberdonian protege of Paul Lawrie will be trying his hardest to climb up through the field over the final 36 holes and salvage something like a top-10 finish, maybe better. Who knows?
FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE:
Jack McDonald got off to a flying start with a birdie at the first and followed that with three more for an outward half of 34. Coached by Adam Hunter, the scratch golfer from the Kilmarnock Barassie club said, “My chip in for a 2 at the 8th was my highlight today. I made the most of my shots and provided you hit the ball straight here you have a good chance of scoring and I had another good day.”
After the turn, the SGU Academy player clinched another birdie 2 which alleviated the damage from four bogeys in his round which saw him finish with a 70.
“It feels great to be the clubhouse leader, everything with my game has started to click this season and I am really enjoying playing tournaments and getting more competitive," said McDonald.
“I put in a lot of practice and hard work into my game over the winter and it is good to see that starting to pay off.”
Scott Gibson carded a 68 today, the best round of the tournament so far in fairly mixed weather conditions at the Fife course. The player who hails from Southerness had an impressive front nine with seven consecutive pars and a brace of birdies before he turned for home. He recovered well from his only bogey of the day at the 12th by holing a 15ft putt for a 3 at the 14th and just missed another at the next before bagging a final birdie at the 16th.
The national U18 squad member said, “I only had one good putt yesterday but I think I really made up for it today. My iron shots were good today which got me much closer (to the flagsticks)and I just had to tap in on several greens. I am pleased with my round and relieved to have made the cut as I missed it by just one shot last year.
Gibson is tied for second place along with Bothwell Castle’s Colin Baird whose consistent play saw him return a second level par round. The University of Stirling student said, “I went back to my old Odyssey putter and it seems to have helped over the last two days. There were no big disasters or trials today and my aim is to try and keep things on track for tomorrow.”
David Gallagher from the Glasgow club aced the short eighth for a hole on his way to a 71 and now shares fourth place with former U14 champion Paul McPhee on 143.
One shot further back are Thomas Rowland, Ian Redford and erstwhile joint leader Elliot Wilson - who slipped off the pace after sharing the round one lead to finish the second day tied for sixth place.
SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE TWO-ROUND TOTALS AT LADYBANK
Labels: Boys
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, July 22, 2009
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