Ross Kellett leads by three in Tennant Cup

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Motherwell’s Ross Kellett  badly needs a victory in a 72-hole Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit event to stay in the top 100 of  the RandA World Amateur Rankings or to boost his morale if nothing else … and he is well on his way to achieving it in this weekend’s Tennant Cup.
The Colville Park player, who has missed a few cuts of late, posted a three-under-par halfway total of 139 after rounds of 71 and 68 over the Glasgow Golf Club’s Gailes links course in Ayrshire. Now he must dig in at the top over Sunday’s final two rounds at the parkland Killermont course in Glasgow.
Kellett leads by three from former Scottish boys champion James White (Stirling University and Lundin) who finished fifth in the world universities championships in South Africa a week or so ago. White had rounds of 70 and 72 for 142 at Glasgow Gailes.
In joint third place are Michael Stewart, the former Scottish boys match-play champion from Troon Welbeck, and Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall).
Stewart, who says he is not returning to East Tennessee State University after two years on the US college golf circuit, had rounds of 70 and 74. Nicolson scored 71 and 73.
Steven McEwan (Caprington), runner-up, albeit seven shots behind runaway winner James Byrne in this event 12 months ago, must like the Tennant Cup ambience. Once again he has stepped up his game for the Glasgow Golf Club's prestigious 72-holer and is lying joint fifth on 145 after rounds of 74 and 71. Also on 145 are Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) and Fraser McKenna (Balmore) who was the first-round leader with a two-under-par 69.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
+Qualifiers for final two rounds on Sunday at Glasgow Golf Club’s Killermont course.
139 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 71 68.
142 James White (Lundin) 70 72.
144 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 70 74, Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 71 73.
145 Steven McEwan (Caprington) 74 71, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 73 72, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 69 76.
146 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 75 71, John Shanks (Irvine) 70 76, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 72 74.
147 Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 76 71, Ronnie Clark (Erskine) 75 72, Paul Alexander (Caldwell) 74 73, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 73 74, Steven Rennis (Drumpellier) 78 69.
148 Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 76 72, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 73 75, Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) 75 73, Patricio Salem (Peru) 73 75, David Law (Hazlehead) 75 73, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 74 74.
149 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 73 76, Alex Main (Thornton) 74 75, Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 73 76.
150 Michael Daily (Erskine) 71 79, Scott Larkin (Banchory) 73 77, Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 76 74, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 76 75, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 75 75.
151 Peter Latimer (St Andrewsd New) 74 77, Sandy Bolton (Goring and Streatley) 73 78, John Wybar (Aldeburgh) 73 78, Paul Gault (Westerwood) 78 73.
152 James Ross (Royal Burgess) 79 73, Richard Gill (Craigmillar Park) 76 76, Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle) 75 77, Daniel Young (Craigie Hill) 74 78.
153 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 77 76, Stephen Speirs (Australia) 74 79, Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan) 74 79, Jonathan King (Glasgow) 77 76, Aaron Sweeney (Carnoustie) 79 74.
MISSED THE CUT
Selected scores:
154 Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle) 78 76, James Hendrick (Pollok) 75 79, James Whitelaw (Mouse Valley) 75 79.
155 Clark Riddick (Southerness) 78 77, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 81 74, John Duff (Newmachar) 74 81.
156 Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile) 79 77.
158 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 83 75.
160 Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 80 80
No Returns: Ross Bell (Downfield) 81 NR, Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood) 78 NR.