Fraserburgh man leads by two with one round to go at Murcar Links

ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS FOR JORDAN  By COLIN FARQUHARSON It's five years since an amateur won the Scottish Golfers' Alliance championship but Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay is on course to follow in Bryan Fotheringham's 2005 footsteps when the final round is played at Murcar Links tomorrow. Victory would not put the £1,000 first pro prize in his pocket because he remains an amateur but it would be a nice pick-me-up after failing to get past Stage 1 of the European Tour Qualifying School at Dundonald Links. Findlay, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, beaten finalist in the Scottish amateur championship this summer at Gullane and capped in the Home Internationals, followed up a 70 at Newburgh on Tuesday with a two-under-par 69 at Murcar Links today to lead the field with a four-under-par tally of 139. He had an eagle 3 at the fourth and a birdie 3 at the seventh in an outward 33 (three under par). Coming home, Jordan dropped his first shot of the day at the 10th but birdied the 11th and 12th before dropping two more shots at the 14th and 15th, steadying up to par the last three for 36 (one over) home.  The Buchan man, a former British boys champion who spent four years at college in America, is two shots clear but by no means home and dry with six strokes covering the leading six. Dunbar staff pro Terry Mathieson, who had a par-matching, second-round 72 at Newburgh, is his nearest challenger and Terry will fancy his chance of making up the leeway as he returns to the Murcar Links which was his home course as an amateur and over which he led the field with a first-round 69. "I didn't have the spark I had in the first round. I just had to grind it out," said Terry who like all the Newburgh field had to start at the 10th because of high tides at the Ythan estuary. Mathieson birdied the 11th, 15th, fourth and sixth, dropping shots at the 17th - where he drove out of bounds but got a birdie with his second ball to reduce the damage to a bogey - first, second and eighth. There are four amateurs in the leading six,which emphasises the spirit of the Alliance movement. Home course man Anthony Bews, after a 67 at Murcar Links), is in third place, only three shots off the pace. Bews works in Gary Forbes' club shop but is not a pro. Hayston scratch man John Fowler (71-73) is five behind Findlay and in joint fifth position on 145 are Peterhead's Philip McLean (78-67) and former Scottish Alliance champion Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (73-72). McLean had birdies at the first, fourth, seventh, 10th, 11th, and 12th in halves of 34 and 33 at Murcar. He dropped shots at the seventh and 17th. Those with 36-hole tallies of 169 or better will play the final championship round at Murcar Links on Thursday. Those who missed the cut have the option of playing a one-round competition, with prizes, at Newburgh. Scotland amateur international Laura Murray (Alford) has won the ladies' prize - her only rival, Sammy Leslie (Westhill) did not qualify for the final round at Murcar Links. Laura had a 77 at Newburgh today for 160 and feels she is already benefitting from some tips from last year's Ricoh Women's British Open champion Catriona Matthew. "Last week I had a game over Archerfield Links with Catriona and Kylie Walker. I thought I was a long hitter but Catriona was longer than me but it was her short game that impressed me immensely," said Laura. "She gave me some very good bits of advice during and after the round, which was very kind of her when you think of it. She's an LPGA Tour player and I'm not even a pro." Laura has decided that she is still not ready to go to the Ladies European Tour School, postponing for a second year a tilt at winning a card to play the LET circuit next year. "There's a lot to play for as an amateur next year and I think I'll be a better player with one more year on the amateur circuit." The 16th green at Newburgh, when there are high tides as there are at the moment, can become an island with water from the Ythan estuary spilling over to fill the space between the tee and green. The last two groups in the Alliance championship had to take off their socks and golf shoes and wade through about a foot of water to get to the green and then to the 17th tee. SECOND-ROUND TOTALS Par 143 (Murcar Links: 71, Newburgh 72). 139 J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 70 69. 141 T Mathieson (Dunbar) 69 72. 142 A Bews (Murcar Links) 75 67. 144 J Fowler (Hayston) 71 73. 145 P McLean (Peterhead) 78 67. P McKechnie (Braid Hills) 73 72. 146 C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 75 71. 147 A Lockhart (Ladybank) 74 73, G Brown (Montrose Links) 72 75, R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) 72 75, K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 70 77. 149 S Lamb (Broomieknowe) 75 74, A Campbell (Deeside) 78 71. 150 G Lornie (Paul Lawrie Foundation) 77 73. 151 A Reid (West Lothian) 73 78. 152 J Hopwood (Carnegie) 79 73, I Buchan (Craibstone) 75 77. 153 I Bratton (Newburgh) 81 72. 154 I Graham (Crow Wood) 76 78, G G Wither (Lothianburn) 75 79, J MacKay (Kilmarnock Barassie) 79 75. 156 G Murray (Spey Bay) 77 79. 157 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) 80 77, A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 84 73, S E Harrod (Ballumbie Castle) 78 79. 158 A K Pirie (Hazlehead) 80 78, R Stewart (Tulliallan) 87 71. 159 A J Webster (Edzell) 82 77, F Clarke (Newmachar) 81 78, G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) 80 79. 160 Laura Murray (Alford) 83 77. 161 J Duncan (Newburgh) 85 76. 162 J Thomas (Craibstone) 80 82, I Esslemont (Newburgh) 82 80. 163 C Stewart (Kippie Lodge) 82 81, J White (Harrison) 84 79. 164 R Leadley (American Golf) 84 80, H Roulston (Stonehaven) 84 80, P Lamb (Biggar) 79 85. 165 C Cassie (Nigg Bay) 85 80, M Fraser (The Duke's) 85 80, R Murray (West Lothian) 82 83, G Cree (Troon Welbeck) 85 80, C Alexander (Murcar Links) 85 80. 166 K Beveridge (Inchmarlo) 85 81, D MacKay (Newmachar) 83 83. 167 D Philip (Newburgh) 87 80, L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) 86 81, P Brookes (Pitreavie) 86 81. 168 P W McIntosh (Newburgh) 79 89. 169 J Forrest (Northern) 85 84, J D Murray (Banchory) 91 78, M Forster (Cruden Bay) 81 88. MISSED THE CUT 171 P Morrison ()ldmeldrum) 93 78, P B Kinloch (Cardross) 88 83, D Leslie (Northern) 92 79 172 J Craig (Carnoustie) 84 88, D MacKay (Caledonian) 83 89, K Lumsden (Craibstone) 81 91. 173 N Stewart (Northern) 78 95. 176 A Graham (Aboyne) 85 91. 177 G Hume (The Duke's) 83 94, Samantha Leslie (Westhill) 84 93, D Randall (Banchory) 95 82. 178 R J S Coupar (Boat of Garten) 94 84, H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) 87 91, P Guthrie (Peterculter) 83 95, J Crawford (Dunblane New) 94 84. 179 S Kennedy (Craibstone) 98 81. 181 L Sutherland (Ballumbie Castle) 94 87 183 K M Thomson (Alloa) 95 88. 184 D Nelson (Aboyne) 101 83. 185 A Hume (Troon Welbeck) 98 87. 188 J Kinsella (Braemar) 101 87, C Westland (Alloa) 94 94. 189 A Boxx (Boat of Garten) 91 98. 190 R Brown (Inverurie) 96 94, V P Ralph (Moray) 90 100. 191 A Graham (Crow Wood) 102 89. 193 B Lumsden (Northern) 90 103, P Jeffray (Duddingston) 92 101. 194 G Allan (Newmachar) 94 100. 199 G Knapp (Muir of Ord) 100 99, D Bingham (Newburgh) 96 103. 200 J Wilson (Dunfermline) 97 103. 202 M Rogers (Kemnay) 107 95. 204 A L Terras (Elie) 97 107.