PGA EuroPro Tour event

LOTHIANS TRIO LEAD SCOTS

 AT SLALEY HALL

The Lothians trio of Lee Harper (Archerfield Links), Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) and Zack Saltman (Aegon), headed the Scottish first-round challenge in this week's PGA EuroPro Tour 54-hole event at Slaley Hall, Northumberland.
All three shot 69 over the par 72 lay-out.

Harper, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, would have been a lot closer to Matthew Evans, pacemaker with a seven-under-par 65, but for a double bogey 6 at the last after birdies at the fourth, eighth, 10th, 11th, 12th and 16th.

McAllister kept a bogey off his card as he birdied the first, fourth, seventh and 13th.

Saltman had one of his best rounds of the year with birdies at the fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth and 16th with a solitary bogey at the short 11th.

It looked like being four Lothians men in the top 20 until Swanston's John Gallagher bogeyed three of the last four holes for a 72.

The scoring is low - 81 players are on par or better - and the cut of the field to the leading 50 and ties after Thursday's second round could be around 140 or 141.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 72
65 Matthew Evans (Eng).
66 Dave Thomas (Eng), James Busby (Eng), Ben Kerr (Eng), Rob Harris (Eng), James Hepworth (Eng), James Robinson (Eng).
67 Gareth Davies (Eng), Matthew King (Eng), Jamie Abbott (Eng), Matt Allen (Eng), James Ruebotham (Eng).
Scottish scores:
68 Lee Harper, Shaun McAllister, Zack Saltman (jt 14th).
69 Scott Henry (jt 27th).
70 Keir McNicoll (jt 44th).
71 Duncan Stewart, Graham Rankin, Mark Rae, Ross Cameron, Kevin McAlpine (jt 57th).
72 John Gallagher, Barry Hume (jt 74th).

73 John Henry, Steven Mackie (jt 82nd).

76 Euan McIntosh (jt 114th).

78 Scott Herald (jt 126th).

82 Steven Mann (jt 131st).