ANDY HANDY AT HALFWAY ON CHALLENGE TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Glasgow’s former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur had a purple patch of five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his way to a halfway position of joint sixth on 11 under par 133 in this week’s Challenge Tour event in Switzerland, the Credit Suisse Challenge.

In a low-scoring tournament – the halfway cut fell at five-under 139, McArthur followed up an opening 66 with a 67 in which he birdied the second, fourth, sixth, seventh, eight, 10th and 13th and added an eagle 3 at the 17th for good measure in halves of 32 (four under par) and 35 (one under).

The Scot, pictured, did have bogeys at the short third, 11th, 14th and 18th or else he would have been a lot closer to leader Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) who is on 14-under 130 with rounds of 66 and 64.

Other Scots to beat the cut were Anstruther’s George Murray (67-69), joint 20th of 136, Edinburgh’s Raymond Russell (68-69), sharing 33rd place on 137, and James McLeary (69-70), joint 59th on 139.

Elliot Saltman (Aegon), even though four under par through 36 holes, missed the cut by one shot with 72 and 68 for 140. Other Scots eliminated were Jack Doherty on 141 (70-71), Callum Macaulaey (71-72) on 143 and Scott Jamieson (80-67) on 147.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72). Yardage 7,234
130 Thorbjorn Olesen (Denmark) 66 64.
131 Stuart Manley (Wales0 66 65.
132 Benhamin Hebert (france) 67  65, Marius Thorp (Norway) 68 64, Oscar Floren (Sweden) 66 66
133 Wil Besseling (Netherlands|) 64 69, Alexandre Kaleka (France) 67 66, Daniel  Brooks (England) 66 67, Andrew McArthur (Scotland) 66 67.
Other Scottish scores:
136 George Murray 67 69 (jt 20th).
137 Raymond Russell 68 69 (jt 33rd).
139 James McLeary 69 70 (jt 59th).
MISSED THE CUT (139 or better)
140 Elliot Saltman 72 68
141 Jack Doherty 70 71.
143 Callum Macaulay 71 72.
147 Scott Jamieson 80 67.