STANDARD LIFE GOLD MEDAL

Ross rings the bell again on return to Leven


Dundee’s Ross Bell, winner of the Scottish champion of champions’ title in April over the Leven links, returned to his happy hunting ground to take the first round lead today (Saturday) in the Standard Life Leven Gold Medal.
On a day of low scoring Bell shot a six-under-par 65 but that only gave him a one shot lead from three players breathing down his neck, Scotland boy international Scott Gibson (Southerness) and two Scotscraig members, US college student Jordan McColl and Ian Bell.
Some 26 players took advantage of the ideal scoring conditions to break 70 and it looked as if the halfway cut figure in this 72-hole Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit event would be exceptionally low.
Title-holder Phillip McLean (Peterhead) could not defend as he was competing in the European men’s individual amateur championship in Finland, although he missed the cut on Friday.


FIRST ROUND
Par 71. CSS 71
65 Ross Bell (Downfield).
66 Scott Gibson (Southerness), Jordan McColl (Scotscraig), Ian Bell (Scotscraig).
67 Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen), Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Paul Betty (Lenzie), Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst).
68 John Duff (Newmachar), Alex Main (Thornton), Michael Main (Thornton), Greg Nicholson (Mortonhall), David Mitchell (Leven Thistle), Brian Erskine (Merchants of Edinburgh), James Hendrick (Pollok), Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park).
69 Michael Daily (Erskine), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), Stephen Speirs (Australia), Scott Stewart-Cation (Balbirnie Park), Mark Hillson (Craigielaw), Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle), John Wybar (Aldeburgh), Duncan Martin (Longniddry).
70 David Law (Hazlehead), Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs), James Ross (Royal Burgess), Martin Brown (Monifieth), Aaron Howard (Glenearn), Graham Robertson (Silverknowes), Scott Michie (Kinross), Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Steven Rennie (Drumpellier), Mark Anderson (Leven Thistle), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie).
71 Grant McNab (Leven), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Stephen Machin (Cowglen), Gordon Yates (Hilton Park).
72 Grant Carnie (Newburgh on Ythan), Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire), Mark Bookless (Sandyhills), Dean Muir (Dunbar), Keith Shanks (US), Robert Jenkins (Leven).
73 Myles Cunningham (Craigielaw), Ed Wood (Crow Wood), Kristofer Harper (Carnoustie), Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth), Stuart Graham (Blairgowrie), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Scott Borrowman (Dollar).
74 Barry McDermott (Leven GS), Fraser Moore (Glenbervie), Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle), Chris Harkins (Ayr Belleisle).
75 Bryan Graham (Kelso), Neil Henderson (Glen).
76 James Oliphant (Leven).
77 Richard Gill (Craigmillar Park), Noah Ratner (US), Darren Hulston (Dollar), Stephen Simants (Dunbar).
78 Chris Robb (Inchmarlo), Andrew Weir (Montrose Mercantile).
79 Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co), Allan Sutherland (Ladybank), George Brass (Blairgowrie).
81 Daniel Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle).
82 Matthew Dowling (Green Acres).