Paul O'Hara sets pace with a 67 in Leven

Gold Medal first round

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Seven days after being beaten favourite in the final of the Allied Surveyors' Scottish amateur championship final at Royal Troon, Paul O'Hara was back in form and setting the pace in the Standard Life Leven Gold Medal 72 hole SGU Order of Merit tournament in Fife.
Colville Park's O'Hara, 22, named as a Walker Cup reserve, shot a four-under-par 67 to lead by one shot from James Byrne (Banchory), like O'Hara, winner of two Order of Merit tournaments this summer, former Scottish champion Glenn Campbell (Blairgownie), who always plays well at Leven, and past Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Ferfrier (Baberton) who will soon be returning to his US college.
Defending champion Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) had a satisfactory start with a 70 to be joint 10th.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORESPar 71. CSS 72
67 Paul O'Hara (Colville Park).
68 James Byrne (Banchory), Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Paul Ferrier (Baberton).
69 Peter Latimer (St Andrews), Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn)(, Martin Brown (Monifieth), Ed Wood (Crow Wood), Philip McLean (Peterhead)/.
70 Ross Kellett (Colville Park), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie), Barry McDermott (Leven GS).
71 James Bunch (St Andrews), Alex Main (Thornton), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie), Mark Hillson (Craigielaw), Jimmy White (Leven GS), Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs).
72 John Duff (Newmachar), Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth), Gary Page (Crow Wood), Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), James White (Lundin), Paul Betty (Hayston), Greg Paterson (St Andrews New).
73 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Brian Soutar (Leven GS), Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe), Alex Culberwell (Dunbar), Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleise), Michael Main (Thornton), Graham Robertson (Stirling), Gordon Yates (HIlton Park), Ed Rankine.
74 Grant McNab, Neil Henderson (Glen), Lewis Kirton (Newmachar), Myles Cunningham, Richard Graham, Brian Erskine (Ladybank),.
75 Nick Barr, Scott Borrowman (Dollar), James Ross (Royal Burgess), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Gary Tough (Letham Grange), Kris Harper (Carnoustie).
76 Darren Gould (Ladyb ank), Graeme Robertson (Stirling), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Liam McGRowan.
77 Stewart Smith (Downfield), Andrew Wallace, Greg Nicholson.
78 Jamie Mackay, Daniel Lawrence.
79 Colin Thomson, George Findlay (Ballumbie Castle).
80 Keith Shanks, Ross Bell (Downfield), Stephen Simants, Aaron Howard.
81 John Shanks.
82 Steven McEwan (Caprington), Andrew Abercrombie (US).
83 James Hendrick (Pollok).
84 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie).

.