ALPS TOUR AND SCORES

 Matthew Cryer leads with a 10-under 62 in Austria

FROM THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE
Englishman Matthew Cryer fired an astonishing 62, 10 under par, to lead by two shots from compatriot Jason Barnes in the Haugschlag Open, Austria today. It is not Cryer's best round ever played. He shot 60, 13 under par, as an  amateur !
Matthew Cryer, 35 years old, has been playing as a professional for only two years. He studied geology for four years at St Andrews University in the mid-1990s, gained  17 England caps at men's level as amateur, a European mid-amateur title, then a first win as professional last October.
“I started the day with a kind of good rhythm. I quickly had a good feeling on the speed of the green and it was one of those days when you look at the green and you see the line. I never holed a long putt all day but many from five to one metre.
"I tried not to think about the score. My goal is to be in top six on the Alps Tour order of merit by mid-August. I really want to avoid the “war” of the first stage of qualifying school...”
After a couple of weeks, for once (except Matthew Cryer), no famous names on the top of the leaderboard. Lukas Tintera from Czech Republic signed for a great 66 to be alone on third step of the podium. Then one stroke back, a group of three players are tied for fourth place : Austrians Georg Schultes and Leo Astl and Czech Lukas Lizanek.
The projected cut after tomorrow's second round is level par.
Agathe Séron

HUME (68) AND DEAR (74) HAVE DIFFERENT TARGETS TOMORROW

SCOTSWATCH: Perthshire pals Steven Hume and Gavin Dear had contrasting fortunes. Steven is lying joint seventh on four-under 68 with a useful round of birdies at the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, 13th and 15th in halves of 32 (four under par) and 36 (level). He had bogeys at the second, 11th and 14th. On the other hand, Dear has a fight on his hands to beat the 36-hole cut after a 74 which left him sharing 58th place. Gavin had double bogey 6s at the second and the 17th in halves of 38 and 36. He also had birides at the fifth,  13th and 15th and single bogeys at the first, seventh and ninth.

LEADING FIRST-ROND SCORES
Par 72
62 M Cryer (England).
64 J Barnes (England).
66 L Tintera (Czech Republic).
67 G Schultes (Austria), Leo Astl (Austria), L Lizanck (Czech Republic).
68 P Nic (Czech Repbulic), Steven Hume (Scotland), L Fenoglio (Italy) amateur, C Balmaseda (Spain), J Palmer (England).
Selected scores:
69 A Hodkinson (England), J Kelly (England) (jt 13th).
70 S Robinson England) (jt 24th).
72 F Keenan (jt 40th).
74 Gavin Dear Scotland) (jt 58th).
75 R Kilpatrick (Northern Ireland (jt 68th).
79 Lewis Pattullo (England) (jt 85th).
Retired: Neil Chaudhuri.