SCOTS IN FRONT: Ross Kellett (left) and James Byrne (images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Byrne and Kellett lead European field

into last round at Chantilly

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

These are heady days for Scottish amateur golf - Arizona State University student James Byrne from Banchory and Motherwell's Ross Kellett of Colville Park Golf Club share the lead with one round to go in the European men's amateur individual championship at Chantilly Golf Club, France.

They are on the five-under-par 208 mark.

Byrne made up five shots on Kellett with a third-round 70 after earlier rounds of 69 and 69. Kellett had set a cracking pace with scores of 67 and 66 but went off the boil with a third-round 75. However, Ross is still sharing the pole position ahead of the pack of challengers, led by Germany's Max Keiffer on 209 with Matthew Nixon, the Lancashire lad who won the British boys championship at Royal Aberdeen two or three years ago, in fourth place on 210.

To qualify for the final round, players has to shoot seven over par 220 or better. Sixty players did but there were some surprise big names among those who didn't, notably Walker Cup Scot Gavin Dear from Scone nor England star Luke Goddard.

Murrayshall man Dear was well over the limit mark with deteriorating rounds of 73, 77 and 80 for 230. Michael Stewart from Troon Welbeck will also be an absentee from Saturday's action. He scored 77, 75 and 81 for 233.

Steven McEwan (Caprington) was another "failure) on 227 with scores of 75, 75 and 77. Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll missed out by an agonising one shot with scores of 73, 76 and 72 for 221.

Backing up Byrne and Kellett in the last hurrah are Wallace Booth (Comrie) who shot one of the best third rounds, a 67, after opening with 76 and 71. Wallace is on 214. Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) made the cut with nothing to spare - 74, 72 and 74 for 220.

Former Scottish match-play champion Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) is also still in there pitching after rounds of 72, 74 and 72 for 218 and a share of 41st place.

SCOREBOARD

Par 216 (3x72)

208 James Byrne (Banchory) 69 69 70, Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 67 66 75.

209 Max Kieffer 67 74 68.

210 Matthew Nixon (England) 73 69 68.

211 Tapio Pulkkanen 71 72 68, Billy Hemstock (England) 72 69 70, Victor Dubuisson 65 71 71.

212 Clement Sordet 69 70 73, Adam Runcie (Wales) 67 71 74.

213 Olivier Serres 72 75 66, Andreas Hartoe 71 72 70, Mayel Oueldes Cheikh 72 69 72.

214 Wallace Booth (Comrie) 76 71 67, Alan Dunbar (Ireland) 67 78 69, Pontus Widegren 69 74 71, Chris Paisley (England) 69 74 71, Lucas Bjerregaard 72 70 72, Jamie Abbott (England) 71 69 74, Espen Kofstadt 66 73 75.

215 Farren Keenan (England) 72 72 71, Benedict Staben 75 69 71, Matteo Manassero 71 72 72, Mathieu Decottignes-Lafon 70 73 72, Ignacio Elvira 69 74 72, Sebastien Gros 71 71 73, Lukas Nemecz 72 70 73.

Selected scores:

216 Sam Hutsby (England) 70 72 75, Oliver Farr (Wales) 70 72 74 (jt 27th).

217 Alex Christie (England) 69 74 74 (jt 32nd).

218 Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 72 74 72 (jt 41st).

220 Jonathan Gidney (England) 75 72 73, Andrew Cooley (England) 76 70 74, Paul O'Hara (Colville Park) 74 72 74, Sam Matton (England) 74 72 74 (jt 50th).

MISSED THE CUT (220 or better)

221 Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 73 76 72, Steven Brown (England) 77 72 72, Darren Wright (England) 70 75 76.

222 Rhys Enoch (Wales) 74 78 70, Dale Whitnell (England) 74 74 74.

223 James Robinson (England) 73 73 77, Matt Haines (England) 71 74 78.

224 Luke Goddard (England) 74 75 75.

227 Steven McEwan (Caprington) 75 75 77.

230 Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) 73 77 80.

233 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 77 75 81.