Banchory buddies share

Northern Open lead

FROM THE SCOTSMAN.COM SPORTS WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
THEY often play for the small pot in a club roll-up but something much more significant is on the line today when two Banchory buddies, Greig Hutcheon and Scott Larkin, go head-to-head at Meldrum House in the final two rounds of the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open.
Hutcheon, one of eight players sharing the lead after the opening round, shot a second successive 66 to break free from the pack on eight-under 132, one ahead of Larkin, who with a 65 stepped up his bid to become the first amateur to claim this title since Sandy Pirie at Cruden Bay 40 years ago.

After a best-of-the-week 64, Craig Lee, the defending champion, and two-time winner Jason McCreadie (68) are both lurking ominously in joint-third, two shots off the pace, but an intriguing tussle is on the cards between Hutcheon and Larkin, who is a member at Royal Aberdeen.

"Scott is a good player. I know that from the £5 roll-ups we have at Banchory on a Monday," noted Hutcheon, who is keen to add his name to a roll of honour that bears such names as Eric Brown, John Panton, Harry Bannerman and Brian Barnes. "It is a famous old tournament and it would be nice to win it," he added.

On a day when the morning rain stopped in the nick of time as a couple of the greens started to give Scottish PGA officials cause for concern, Hutcheon, top picture, a two-time Tartan Tour No 1, admitted he'd got lucky with one of his five birdies after his fit of laughter caused by Chris Doak, playing in the group in front, chasing after his electric trolley as it careered into a pond.

Describing his second shot at the 16th, the 37-year-old Hutcheon said: "I was still laughing so much that I hit it heavy and was lucky it did not go into the water. A poor stance might have had something to do with it but we'll say it was the sight of Doak's trolley veering out of control into the water that put me off!"

Larkin, 23, lower picture, who spent four years at a South Carolina University, won the Leven Gold Medal in August, having lost in a play-off for the Cameron Corbett Vase, another Scottish Order of Merit event, a few weeks earlier.

Coached by Neil Marr, the head professional at Meldrum House, Larkin bagged five birdies yesterday in a round he described as "quite boring" and is relishing his joust with Hutcheon. "I feel my game has moved up a notch this year and it would be nice to get one over Greig," he said.

Lee, who was in Russia last week for a Challenge Tour event and is off to Cyprus next week to play in the EuroPro Tour Championship, made a significant leap up the leaderboard thanks to a session at the Aspire Golf Centre in Aberdeen following his opening 70.

"I hit shots here until I was kicked off the range at 5pm and then drove over to Aspire Golf Centre (at Ardoe, near Aberdeen) to use the camera and screen there to get a few things sorted out," he said.
"It worked because I played as well today as I have this year, certainly in terms of striking the ball."

That was reflected by a round highlighted by two eagles - he holed from just over 100 yards for a 2 at the 13th - and Lee reckons he'll have a good chance of hanging on to his title if he can cover the final 36 holes in eight-under. "Winning one of the four-rounders in Scotland is always an achievement in itself and it would certainly be nice to win this event back-to-back," he observed.

Having also won the Scottish Championship two years ago in addition to those two previous Northern Open triumphs - in 2006 and 2008, both at Skibo Castle - McCreadie, now being coached by Ian Rae, is certainly a dangerman, as is Hayston's Stephen Gray, a six-time winner on the Scottish circuit this season and the leading money-winner with earnings of just over £24,000.

The 36-year-old, three off the lead on 135, has negotiated his opening two rounds without dropping a single shot, revealing he'd managed to get his game sorted out in the nick of time after scraping through the first stage of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links last week.
"I played shocking there but worked for two-and-a-half hours with (Lanark professional] Alan White on Saturday and he's got me sorted," said Gray.
In addition to Larkin, six other amateurs made the cut, including David Law, who finished with two birdies for a 68 to lie alongside Gray, Paul McKechnie (68) and Alan Reid, the West Lothian club professional making his move with a 65.
Ross Kellett (136), James White (138), Kris Nicol (140), Nick Robson (141) and Greg Paterson (142) are the other amateurs still involved.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 140 (2x70)
132 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 66 66.
133 Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) (am) 68 65.
134 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 66 68, Craig Lee (Aspire Golf Centre) 70 64.
135 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 69 66, Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 67 68, Alan E Reid (West Lothian) 70 65, David Law (Hazlehead) (am) 67 68.
136 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs Golf Range) 67 69, Graham Fox (East Kilbride) 69 67, James McKinnon (Irvine) 69 67, Chris Doak (unatt) 66 70, Fraser Mann (unatt) 68 68, Ross Kellett (Colville Park) (am) 66 70.
137 Colin Gillies (Braid Hills) 68 69.
138 Chris Kelly (Cawder) 66 72, James White (Lundin) 68 70, David Orr (Eastwood) 68 70, David Patrick (Elie) 67 71.
139 Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 71 68, Peter Smith (unatt) 70 69, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 73 66.
140 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank 68 72, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) (am) 70 70, Scott Henry (Carrick on Loch Lomond) 71 69.
141 Alastair Webster (Edzell) 71 70, Gordon Law (Uphall) 72 69, Graeme Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 69 72, Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon) 71 70.
142 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) (am) 66 76, Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie) 70 72, Ian Taylor (Drumpellier) 69 73, Andrew Fullen (Largs) 71 71, David Blackadder (Kingsbarns) 71 71, James McGhee (Turnhouse) 71 71, Kenneth Hutton (Downfield) 66 76, Christopher Robinson (Dumfries and Galloway 70 72, Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 73 69, Nick Robson (Meldrum House) (am) 71 71, Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links) 73 69, Mark Finlayson (Edzell) 72 70, Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre) 69 73.
143 Wallace Booth (Comrie) 72 71, Lee Harper (Archerfield Links) 69 74, Euan Cameron (Hamilton) 72 71, Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle) 73 70, Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf) 71 72, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 71 72, Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club) 74 69.

MISSED THE CUT

144 Mark King (Kingsfield Golf Centre) 70 74, Graeme Brown (Montrose) 66 78, Samuel Cairns (Colville Park) 73 71, Alan Stuart (Aspire) 72 72, Patrick Lovie (P1 Corporate) 73 71, Michael Rae (Alyth) 72 72, Paul Wytrazek (Burntisland) 74 74, Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) 71 73, Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park) 70 74, Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) 73 71, Ewan Davie (Dunblane New) 72 72.
145 Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 73 72, Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) (am) 70 75, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 72 73, David Fleming (Prestwick) 74 71, Garry Harvey (Kinross) 73 72, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) (am) 71 74, Lee Vannet (Carnoustie Golf Links) 70 75, Jonny Sharp (The Carrick at Cameron House) 73 72, Andrew Crerar (Panmure) 72 73, Stuart Kerr (Strathaven) 75 70.
146 Stewart Savage (Dalmuir 74 72, Sean O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) 72 74, Stuart Pardoe (unatt) 71 75.
147 Philip McLean (Peterhead) (am) 75 72, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 75 72.
148 Greg Paxton (Ralston) 71 77, Andrew Cooper (Newmachar 73 75, John Robertson (Glasgow) 74 74.

149 Craig Ronald (Carluke) 74 75, Gary Forbes (Murcar Links) 74 75, Martin Shaw (Kilmarnock Barassie) 74 75.
150 Mark Bruce (Gullane) 73 77, Colin Brodie (Meldrum House) (am) 73 77.
151 Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Course Design 76 75, Michael Sweenie (Turnberry 76 75, Ian Bratton (Newburghon Ythan) 76 75, Iain Donaldson (Meldrum House) 77 74, Scott Herald (Mearns Castle) 73 78.
152 Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm) 74 78, David Ross (Royal Aberdeen) 74 78, Sandy Aird junior (McDonald Ellon) 77 75. 
153 Ronnie McDonald (Inchmarlo) 77 76, Neil Murray (Cruden Bay) 78 75, Owen Leslie (Craigentinny) 74 79.
154 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) 77 77, Stewart Winter (Callander) 75 79. 
155 Colin Clark (Mackenzie's Golf Shop) 79 76 18, Gavin Abson (Carrick on Loch Lomond) 79 76. 
156 Colin Nelson (Mackenzie's Golf Shop) 77 79, Alan Mackay (Pumpherston) 76 80.
157 Shaun Clark (Elie) 75 82.
159 Greig McSporran (Kinross) 80 79.
162 Rob Satterley (Inverurie) 82 80, Alastair Thomson (Douglas Park) 75 87.
Retired: Jamie Stevenson (Braehead) 77 ret.

TWO-TEE START FOR THURSDAY'S FINAL TWO ROUNDS
+Only the third-round tee times are listed. Add on roughly 5hr for the estimated final round-tee times
7:50 Tee 1 Scott Henry, Alastair Webster. Tee 10 Ross Dixon, Marker.  
7:58 Tee 1 Kris Nicol, Alan Lorkchart. Tee 10 Craig Matheson, Mark Loftus.
8:06 Tee 1 Scott Henderson, Peter Smith. Tee 10 Campbell Elliott, Euan Cameron.
8:14 Tee 1 Mark Kerr, David Patrick. Tee 10 Wallace Booth, Lee Harper.
8:22 Tee 1 David Orr, James White. Tee 10 Craig Gordon, Mark Finlayson.
8:30 Tee 1 Chris Kelly, Colin Gillies. Tee 10 Iain Colquhoun, Nick Robson.
8:38 Tee 1 Ross Kellet, Fraser Mann. Tee 10 Malcolm Isaacs, Christopher Robinson.
8:46 Tee 1 Chris Doak, James McKinnon. Tee 10 Kenneth Hutton, James McGhee.
8:54 Tee 1 Graham Fox, Robert Arnott. Tee 10 David Blackadder, Andrew Fullen.
9:02 Tee 1 Alan E Reid, David Law. Tee 10: Ian Taylor, Lindsay Mann.
9:10 Tee 1 Paul McKechnie, Stephen Gray. Tee 10 Greg Paterson, Ross Cameron.
9:18 Tee 1 Craig Lee, Jason McCreadie. Tee 10 Gordon Law, Graeme Lornie.
9:26 Tee 1 Scott Larkin, Greig Hutcheon.

SANDY PIRIE LAST AMATEUR TO WIN NORTHERN OPEN IN 1970

The last amateur to win the Northern Open was Hazlehead's Sandy Pirie (pictured) at Cruden Bay in 1970, three years after he played in the Walker Cup match. The tournament was reduced to three rounds because of fog.

The only other amateurs to have won the Northern Open in its 79-year history are Jack McLean (Hayston) at Murcar in 1933 and R S (Dick) Walker, an Aberdeen University student and member at both Cruden Bay and Deeside. Walker won in successive years - Royal Dornoch in 1935 and Deeside in 1936.

By the time Jack McLean, who was Scottish amateur champion in 1932 (Dunbar), 1933 (Balgownie) and 1934 (Western Gailes), won the Northern Open again in 1937 (Lossiemouth) and 1939 (Nairn), he had become the professional at Buchanan Castle.