FROM THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION WEBSITE
Woodhall Spa’s treacherous closing stretch took its toll on most in the second round of the English boys' Under-18 stroke play championship for the Carris Trophy, supported by Titleist. However, Yorkshire’s Sam Young suffered least and leads on four under par.
His second successive 71 over the Hotchkin Course for 142 leaves the lad from Rotherham a shot ahead of Freddie Sheridan Mills from Walsall and two clear of Notts-based Eddie Peters, Nathan Kimsey of the host club and Jack Heasman from Essex.
Despite being a pleasant day, the problem was the strengthening breeze which gusted around the trees and operated like a series of wind tunnels on the back nine.
It placed a premium on club selection and even then the wind could suddenly switch which meant shots flew long or came up alarmingly short.
Several players built a good score over the front nine and looked like threatening the lead. But one by one they ran up costly bogeys with alarming regularity. But Young benefited from an early start before the wind arrived.
Yorkshire boy champion for the past two years, Young covered the front nine in 33 to get to five under for the championship. He added another birdie but bogeys at the two par fives, the 14th and 18th, dragged him back to the field.
“I hit driver on both because they were into the wind,” he said. “At 14, I found the trees, then I hit bad lay ups on both holes and found traps and you have to stay out of them around here.”
It added up to a homeward 38 but he was happy to have been out early and to be leading at halfway although it is crowded leaderboard.
Conversely, Sheridan Mills was a late starter and defied the problems other found by posting a level-par 73 for 143. “It was a bit tricky and the wind was stronger than in round one,” he said.
“I got off to a great start, going birdie-par-birdie but I had a couple of three putts coming in. Yet I managed to birdie the two par fives on the back nine including a four at the last.
“It will be nice to have a late start tomorrow. I can’t cope with the early times,” he added.
Overnight leader Toby Tree refused to blame the conditions for his 77 for 146, which saw him slip down the order to joint 12th, but he admitted: “I didn’t play good.
“I played the front nine well but my back nine wasn’t good at all. I hit some bad shots and it wasn’t any particular part of my game.”
Levi Desmond from nearby Grantham also suffered over the home straight with bogeys at the last three holes for a 75 and 145 after he had climbed to four under.
Tomasz Anderson was another to stumble on the back nine. He got to four under but shed five shots in a homeward 41 for 76, four bogeys coming in the last six holes.
“The wind was so tricky,” he said. “Two of my approach shots flew the green and I had to take a penalty shot when one of my drives finished against a tree,” he lamented.
The best round of the day, a five under par 68, was returned by Norfolk’s Luke Johnson, who turned out to be the unluckiest. Out in the first game at 7.30am, he had six birdies but having taken 84 in round one, his 152 left him one shot from safety as the cut came at 151, five over par.
The Nations Cup proved a triumph for Belgium following their recent victory in the European Boys Team Championships. They finished on 293, four clear of Spain 1 and England 2. The England 1 team were joint fourth with the Netherlands on 299.
QUALIFIERS (151 and better)
Par 146 (2x73)
1st Sam Young Rotherham GC 71 71 142
2nd Freddie Sheridan Mills Walsall GC 70 73 143 
3rd Jack Heasman West Essex GC 73 71 144
3rd Edward Peters Notts GC71 73 144
3rd Nathan Kimsey Woodhall Spa GC70 74 144 
6th Thomas Detry Belgium 74 71 145
6th Oliver Carr Heswall GC 72 73 145 
6th P Lockwood Hessle GC 72 73 145 
6th Jerome Titlow The London GC 71 74 145 
6th Jonny Mcallister Hallowes GC 71 74 145 
6th Levi Desmond DeVere Belton Woods G C 70 75 145 
12th Callum Shinkwin Moor Park G C 76 70 146
12th Federico Zucchetti Italy 76 70 146
12th Jeroen Krietemeijer Netherlands 72 74 146 
12th Colin Walsh Hayling GC 71 75 146 
12th Jake Harrison Grassmoor G C 70 76 146 
12th Toby Tree Worthing GC 69 77 146 
18th Thomas Rowland Prudhoe G C 74 73 147
18th Tomasz Anderson Mill Green Golf Club 71 76 147 
20th Patrick Kelly Boston West G C 76 72 148 
20th David Blick East Devon GC 76 72 148 
20th Adrian Otaegui Spain 76 72 148
20th Mark Geddes Prenton G C 75 73 148
20th Robert Aldred Stourbridge GC 74 74 148
20th Christopher Lloyd Kendleshire GC 74 74 148
20th Harry Casey Enfield GC 74 74 148
20th Matthew Bacon Costessey Park G C 73 75 148
20th Thomas Pieters Belgium 73 75 148
20th Sam Cutting Berkhamsted GC 73 75 148
20th Curtis Griffiths Wentworth Club 71 77 148 
31st Ryan Wallace Handsworth GC 76 73 149
31st Nathan Kemp Sweetwoods Park GC 75 74 149 
31st Ben Smith Sandy Lodge GC 74 75 149
31st Matthew Chapman Wentworth Club 71 78 149 
31st Thomas Clements Royal Norwich GC 70 79 149 
31st Jorge Simon Spain 69 80 149
37th Steven Jones Canons Brook GC 77 73 150
37th Billy Downing Truro GC 76 74 150
37th Adam Batty Hazlemere GC 75 75 150 
40th J A Bolton Formby GC 77 74 151
40th Greg Payne Chobham GC 77 74 151
40th Luke Jackson Worksop GC 76 75 151
40th Greg Eason Kirby Muxloe GC76 75 151
40th Craig Cameron Wentworth Club 76 75 151
40th Axel Geers Netherlands 75 76 151
40th James Newton Prestbury G C 75 76 151
40th Michael Helyard Beverley and East Riding GC 74 77 151 
MISSED THE CUT
48th Luke Johnson Kings Lynn Golf Club 84 68 152 
48th Lorenzo Guanti Italy 79 73 152
48th Jack Colegate Rochester and Cobham Park 78 74 152 
48th Nick Newbold Kedleston Park Golf Club 78 74 152 
48th Ben Taylor Walton Heath Golf Club 77 75 152 
48th Alfie Plant Rochester and Cobham Park 77 75 152 
48th Louis C Birchall Ingestre Park Golf Club 77 75 152 
48th Harrison Greenberry Exeter  76 76 152 
48th Jamie Clare East Sussex National 76 76 152 
48th Freddie Price Royal Blackheath Golf Club 75 77 152 
48th Emanuele Sesia Italy 75 77 152
48th Ben Smith Worksop Golf Club 74 78 152 
48th Corrado De Stefani Italy 74 78 152
48th James Simpson Whickham Golf Club 74 78 152 
62nd Ben Herbert Clacton-on-Sea Golf Club 79 74 153 
62nd Robbie Van West Netherlands 78 75 153
62nd Jimmy Mullen Royal North Devon Golf Club 76 77 153 
62nd Alex Hull Notts Golf Club 76 77 153 
62nd Christoph Korbler Austria 76 77 153
62nd Paul Kinnear Formby Golf Club 76 77 153
62nd Connor Fletcher Chart Hills Golf Club 75 78 153
69th Salvador Garcia Rivero Spain 81 73 154 
69th Jordan Smith Bowood  79 75 154 
69th Tom Harris Castletown Golf Club 77 77 154
69th Nick Buckland Sundridge Park Golf Club 75 79 154
69th Cedric Van Wassenhove Belgium 75 79 154
69th Benjamin Wheeler Purley Downs Golf Club 73 81 154
75th Javier Sainz Spain 81 74 155
75th Gabriele Padovano Italy 77 78 155
75th Will Cooper Woburn Golf Club 76 79 155
75th Gareth Johnson Worksop Golf Club 74 81 155
79th Tom Greenfield Royal Liverpool Golf Club 79 77 156
79th Jj Grey Hever Castle Golf Club 78 78 156
79th Riccardo Nichelini Italy 78 78 156
79th Ross Dickson Crews Hill Golf Club 77 79 156
79th Seb Crookall-nixon Workington Golf Club 77 79 156 
79th Nick Ward Redbourn Golf Club 74 82 156 
79th Samuel Echikson Belgium 73 83 156
86th Liam Harper Lydd Golf Club 80 77 157
86th James Burnett Sleaford Golf Club 80 77 157 
86th Matt Hill Leighton Buzzard Golf Club 79 78 157 
86th Alfred Kerstis Sweden 79 78 157
86th Mitchell Hadfield Worksop Golf Club 76 81 157 
86th Scott Fernandez Spain 75 82 157 
92nd Daniel Kovari Hungary 82 76 158
92nd Andreas Gjesteby Norway 79 79 158
92nd Rafael Mustienes Spain 79 79 158 
92nd Leon Alexander A J Fricker Yelverton Golf Club 79 79 158 
92nd Henry Barron Tomlinson Royal Lytham 79 79 158
92nd Jordan Ainley Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club 78 80 158 
92nd Julian Taylor York Golf Club (Yorkshire) 76 82 158 
99th Johnathon Fisher-ulliott Hornsea Golf Club 78 81 159 
99th Jake Spearpoint Littlestone Golf Club 77 82 159 
101st Andrew Scrimshaw Prudhoe Golf Club 84 76 160
101st Henry Todd USA 82 78 160
101st Yoshio Takeuchi Broome Manor Golf Club 80 80 160
101st Sam Edwards Bigbury Golf Club 79 81 160
101st Kavan Smith Selby Golf Club 77 83 160
101st Matthew Langley Sitwell Park Golf Club 74 86 160 
107th Joseph Davis Churston Golf Club 86 75 161
107th Harrison Woan Overstone Park Golf Club 82 79 161 
107th Rowin Caron Netherlands 80 81

Wash-out for Scottish seniors' match-play at Kinross

No play was possible in the Scottish senior men's amateur match-play golf championship at Kinross Golf Club today because parts of the Montgomerie course were flooded. The tournament will now finish with the 18-hole final on Saturday morning.

O'HARA FINISHES SIXTH IN GERMANY

Paul O'Hara did not succeed in winning two events in a row on the German EPD Tour but sixth place in the Pfaffing Classic at Golfanage Pfaffing, Bavaria did give the man from Motherwell his seventh top 10 finish in 11 event.
O'Hara had rounds of 70, 70 and 69 for a seven-under-par total of 209 - six shots behind winner Jurrian Van der Vaart (Netherlands).
The Scot's bogey at the first hole of his final round was his only blot over the final two rounds. He birdied the fourth, long ninth, 10th and 11th but had to settle for pars at the remaining seven holes.
O'Hara earned 1,181 Euros and has now amassed winnings of 14,250 Euros in his 11 outings on the German Tour.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
203 Jurrian van Der Vaart (Net) 69 65 69 (4,814 Euros).
204 Max Kramer (Ger) 69 68 67 (2,784 Euros).
205 Dennis Kupper (Ger) 70 67 68 (1,625 Euros).
206 Grant Jackson (Eng) 675 71 70 (1,444 Euros).
207 Tim Sluiter (Net) 70 71 66 (1,307 Euros).
209 Paul O'Hara (Sco) 70 70 69 (1,181 Euros).
Selected totals:
216 Stephen Grant (Ire) 71 71 73, Ben Parker (Eng) 74 71 71 (403 Euros each).
217 Lee Corfield (Eng) 71 70 76 (359 Euros)

ends

Stage set for great finish to Scottish boys' open stroke play at Craigielaw

FORREST READY TO CATCH FIRE ON

FINAL DAY BID FOR TITLE DOUBLE
FROM ROSS DUNCAN
Scottish Golf Union
Craigielaw's Grant Forrest, playing over his home course, has his sights set firmly on completing a national title double after a level par second round 71 left him just a shot behind joint leaders Lloyd Best and Linus Vaisanen with 36 holes still to play in the Scottish boys' open stroke-play golf championship at the East Lothian venue.
Best, from Sherwood Forest and young Finnish star Vaisanen, who shared the overnight lead, matched each other with one-over par 72s to take a one-shot lead on 139 going into the final day on three-under par.
In worsening conditions, Scottish boys' match-play champion Forrest stayed patient and notched his third birdie of the day at the par-5 final hole for a 140 tally to secure a slot in the penultimate group today(Thursday).
Round of the day came from Falkirk Tryst’s Jamie Lynch, a beaten semi-finalist at West Kilbride in the boys' match play championship in April. He stormed over the outward nine with a four-under par 31. Despite a bogey at the tenth, Lynch move to five-under for his round with a superb eagle at the long 12th and although a birdie at the 15th was sandwiched by bogeys at the 14th and 16th, he signed off for a four-under par 67 to sit just two off the pace.
Lynch was joined on the 141 mark by Scottish boy international Scott Gibson (Southerness), who remained in contention for his maiden national title with a level par 71 and tied for fourth place. Pollok’s Conor O’Neil, one of the lowest handicappers in the field, shot an impressive two-under par 69 to sit menacingly poised three shots back, alongside Troon’s Marc Smith who matched O’Neil’s round of 69, with New Zealander Craig Hamilton on the same mark.
Defending champion Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) has it all to do after a two-over par 73 left him six shots behind the leaders on 145, while 14-year-old Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), who won his second successive national Under-14s title last week, and Scottish boys championship beaten finalist Ian Redford both birdied the last hole to scrape inside the cut mark on 148, six-over par.
QUALIFIERS
Par 142 (2x71)
139 Linus Vaisanen (Finland) 67 72, Lloyd Best (sherwood Forest0 67 72.
140 Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 69 71.
141 Jamie Lynch (Falkirk Tryst) 74 67, Scott Gibson (southerness) 70 71.
142 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 73 69, Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) 73 69, Craig Hamilton (NZ) 72 70, Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 68 74.
143 Jordan Lambert (Australia) 72 71, Lewis Fairbairn (Berwick) 67 76.
144 Daniel Hendry (United Arab Emirates) 73 71, Ewen Donaldson (Craigielaw) 69 75, Sam Craigon (Milnathort) 76 69, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 73 72, Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton) 72 73, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 72 73, Cameron Mitchell (Lundin) 72 73, Arne Ravndal (Norway) 71 74, Chris Johnston (Truro) 71 74, Maximilian Walz (Germany) 71 74, Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee) 71 74, Dale Wright (Alness) 70 75.
146 Jeff Wright (Forres) 74 72, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 74 72, Scott Wightman (Powfoot) 72 74, Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Galloway) 72 74.
147 Steven Smith (Deeside) 78 69, Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 75 72, Jamie Savage (Cawder) 75 72, Greg Smail (Craigielaw) 75 72, Scott Costello (Kirkhill) 75 72, Daniel Flannery (Peebles) 74 73, Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 74 73, Ryan Campbell (Grangemouth) 73 74, Rodger Clarke (Moray_) 73 74, Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) 72 75.
148 Euan Mackay (Craigielaw) 77 71, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 76 72, Craig Howie (Peebles) 76 72, Leslie Gaughan (Bathgate) 75 73, Charlie MacNeal (Troon Welbeck) 75 73, Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 75 73, Connor Neil (Blairgowrie) 74 74, Fraser Thain (West Linton) 73 75, Ian Redford (St Andrews New) 73 75.
MISSED THE CUT
149 Graeme Duncan (Kingsknowe) 78 71, Craig Anderson (Sandyhills) 76 73, Scott Wearing (Bishopbriggs) 75 74, Jack Scott (Deeside) 74 75, Paul McPhee (King James vI) 73 76, Callum Graham (Milnathort) 71 78.
150 Martin Buchan (Balbirnie Park) 77 73, Sebastian Riegelbauer (Germany) 76 74, Ryan Cardwell (Burnham and Berrow) 76 74, Jordan Milne (Elgin) 76 74, Andrew Borg (Penwortham) 74 76, Christopher Lamb (Newmachar) 72 78, Michael Younie (Frilford Heath) 69 81.
151 Thomas Goodair (Woodsome Hall), Martin Scott (Hamilton), John Fernandes (Enfield) 76 75, Gary Chalmers (Dollar) 75 76, Sean Blinkhorn (Leigh) 75 76, Ben Anderson (Woodhall Spa) 72 79, Ross Gillan (Torrance House) 72 79, Callum Cromar (Aboyne) 72 79, Angus Carrick (Douglas Park).
152 John Bradford (Braintree) 77 75, Anthony O'Donnell (Greenock Whinhill) 76 76, Ross Gordon (Peterhead) 75 77, Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 75 77, Thomas Schofield (Barbados) 74 78, Andrew Carrell (Peterculter) 74 78.
153 Ryan Boyle (Bathgate), Ross Storrier (Downfield) 79 74, Jake Hogg (Germany) 78 75, Patrick O'Neil (Pollok) 78 75, Chris Forrest (Northumberland) 77 76, John Salmond (Alloa) 77 76, John Douglas (Thornton) 77 76, Carl Johnstone (Carlisle) 77 76, Patrick Skakel (Copt Heath) 77 76, Cameron Farrell (Cardross) 77 76, Jamie Arthur (Milnathort) 76 77, Thomas White (Milnathort) 76 77, Jordyn Rhind (Uphall) 76 77, Ritchie Manson (Kemnay) 76 77, Camneron Marr (Musselburgh) 75 78.
154 Jordan Bryce (Strathaven) 79 75, Greig Stewart (Crieff) 78 76, Lewis Johansen (Caldy) 78 76, Michael Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 77 77, Fraser Lauder (Paisley) 77 77, Ewan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 78, Peter Sangster (Thurso) 75 79.
155 Jordan Gallagher (Crow Wood) 79 76.
156 Neil Beattie (St Andrews) 83 73, Daniel McConnachie (Dumfries and Co) 80 76, Josh Bogle (Ranfurly Castle) 80 76, Cameron West (Scotscraig) 80 76, Calum McLean (Cowglen) 79 77, James Steven (Kirkhill) 78 78, Ben Murray (Portlethen) 78 78, Harrison Savage (Australia) 78 78, William Aldred (Mid Herts) 77 79, Oliver Roberts (Archerfield) 76 80, Ryan Simpson (Bonnyton) 75 81, Euan Bowden (Glen) 75 81, Andrew Whyte (St Andrews New) 71 85.
157 Chris Moore (West Essex) 78 79, Lee Shepherd (Sherwood Forest) 78 79, Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal) 77 80, Kurt Yule (Berwick) 75 82.
158 Jake Scott (Strathlene) 80 78, Alasdair Simpson (Tantallon) 79 79, David Gallagher (Glasgow) 78 80, Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay) 77 81, Darek Kinecki (Callander) 76 82. Graeme Ritchie (Troon Welbeck) 75 83, Jack Thorburn (Dunfermline) 74 84, Fraser McNeill (Cathkin Braes) 73 85.
159 Grant Bowman (Monifieth) 84 75, Fergus Smith (Paisley) 82 77, Ciar Porciani (Ayr Belleisle) 82 77, Reece Mitchell (Downfield) 81 78, Alexander Wilson (Gullane0 80 79, Glenn Fotheringham (Grangemouth) 79 80.
160 Lewis Campbell (Baberton) 82 78, Christopher Low (Tantallon) 80 80, Lewis Bain(Turnhouse) 79 81, David Docherty (Bonnyton) 78 82.
161 Blair Todd (Greenburn) 77 84.
162 Philip Gordon (Paisley) 86 76.
165 Raphael Higuet (Belgium) 77 88.
167 Calum Stewart (Brora) 84 83.
168 Greg Dunsmore (Saline) 82 86, Daniel Thompsett (Aboyne) 79 89.
181 Callum Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 85 86.

NEWLANDS TROPHY VICTORY LIFTS

 DICK INTO WORLD'S TOP 1000

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Allyn Dick’s victory in the Newlands Trophy 72-hole SGU Order of Merit event at Lanark last weekend seems his rise an astonishing 310 places in this week’s updated R&A World Amateur Golf Rankings to No 915.
That gives Scotland 39 players ranked in the world’s top 1,000 which is not bad for a country of our size.
What Scotland lacks is players in the top 100 – only Banchory’s James Byrne – 13th for the second week in a row – and Ross Kellett (Colville Park), also unchanged at No 63, have achieved that distinguished rating.
Finishing joint fourth in the Newlands Trophy saw Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) rise 66 places to No 862 and Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society, who finish joint sixth on Sunday,has gone up 210 places to No 561.
A good run in next week’s Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship at Gullane would go a long way towards helping Fraserburgh’s Kris Nicol join Byrne and Kellett in the leading 100. Nicol is currently 118th.
Scots in the R&A WAGR’s leading 1000 are:
13 James Byrne (no change).
63 Ross Kellett (no change).
118 Kris Nicol (-2).
143 Michael Stewart (no change).
251 James White (-30).
321 Peter Latimer (-24).
380 Philip McLean (+4).
426 Scott Crighton (-2).
452 David Law (+44).
477 Greg Paterson (-7).
553 Gordon Yates (+10).
561 Brian Soutar (+210).
575 Paul Shields (+36).
620 Glenn Campbell (-9).
621 Gordon Stevenson (-8).
625 Matthew Clark (+50).
638 James Ross (-10).
648 Mark Hillson (-5).
665 Steven Rennie (+17).
675 Graeme Rob ertson (+51).
682 Scott Larkin (+176).
694 Fraser McKenna (-11).
717 Andrew Gunson (-3).
718 Ross Bell (-63).
761 Mark Bookless (-7).
819 Paul Ferrier 9-10).
825 Michael Daily (-8).
826 Steven McEwan (-22).
862 Bobby Rushford (+66).
877 Sam B inning (-10).
898 Fraser Fotheringham (-12).
912 Adam Dunton (-1).
915 Allyn dick (+310).
920 Stephen Speirs (+58).
981 James Hamilton (-182).
982 Jordan Findlay (+63).
983 Paul Betty (-3).
990 Richard Docherty (+159).
996 Daniel Sommerville (-5).
+If you're interested, the top 12 amateurs in the world ahead of James Byrne are:
1 Peter Uihlein (US).no change
2 Jin Jeong (South Korea).no change
3 Patrick Reed (US).no change.
4 Andrea Pavan (Italy). no change
5 Bud Cauley (US) +4
6 Kevin Tway (US) +1
7 Russell Henley (US) -2
8 Romain Wattel (France) -2
9 Scott Langley (US) -1.
10 Harris English (US) +1
11 Eugene Wong (Canada) +5
12 Henrik Norlander (Sweden) no change

     British amateur championship beaten finalist James Byrne has never got past the first round of the Allied Surveyors Scottish amateur championship in three attempts but fancies his chance of putting that record straight at Gullane next week. Image by Rob Eyton-Jones. 

James Byrne top seed and favourite to make it fourth time lucky

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Banchory’s James Byrne has his sights set on going one better than his runners-up finish at Muirfield last month when the Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship takes place at neighbouring Gullane next week (26 – 31 July).
The 21-year-old, whose conqueror in the Amateur Championship Jin Jeong went on to claim the Silver Medal at last week’s Open Championship finishing ahead of Tiger Woods in the process, has never made it past the opening round of the SGU’s flagship event in three attempts but is aiming to improve on that record in East Lothian.
“I’ve not got a great record in the Scottish Amateur Championship but I won’t let that affect me. Finishing second in The Amateur Championship was a great achievement so I’ll go into next week with great confidence. I’ve got the same caddy for Gullane as I had at Muirfield and if I can putt as well and play the same way I’ll give myself a great chance.”
“Looking back, it’s been a good summer and I managed to get within one shot of making The Open Championship. Seeing what Jin Jeong achieved at St Andrews shows what can be done and if he can perform like that then I don’t think I’m too far from competing at that level.” he added.
One of Byrne’s main challengers will be fellow North East star David Law, who made history last year at Royal Troon by becoming the first golfer to win the national men’s and boys’ match play titles in the same season. The 19-year-old has been plagued by injury problems in recent months, but claimed another national title this year when he helped the North East to victory in the Moneygate Scottish Area Team Championship.
Law’s team-mate from that side Philip McLean is the current SGU Order of Merit leader and with a win at the Edward Trophy and runners-up finish in the St Andrews Links, the Peterhead golfer confident of capturing his first national championship at Gullane.
The East Lothian venue proved a happy hunting ground for Fifer George Murray when it last hosted the event back in 2004 and a strong challenge is expected to come from across the Firth of Forth again this year. Lundin’s James White, fresh from a win at the Sutherland Challice, has enjoyed a fine season and lies second in the Order of Merit, while tucked in just behind him in third and fourth spots are Leven’s Brian Soutar and St Andrews’ Peter Latimer who has returned from a college scholarship in the United States and is showing great form on the domestic circuit. Latimer reached the quarter-finals at Royal Troon last year.
The Gullane No 1 course has been lengthened this year and includes a superb new eighth hole, while several other tees have been extended.
This will be the fourth occasion Gullane has hosted the Championship, with Charlie Green (1983) and Craig Everett (1990) the two other previous champions alongside Murray, who notched his maiden professional win on the European Challenge Tour last month.
Ian Thomson, Managing Director of Allied Surveyors Scotland who sponsor the event for the sixth successive year, is looking forward to the Championship:
“The Allied Surveyors Scottish Amateur Championship seems to grow in stature year on year and with the field representing 152 different clubs across Scotland, there is great interest locally with members eager to see how players at their clubs are faring.”
“We’ve witnessed some fantastic championships since our involvement in 2005, not least last year’s historic achievement from David Law and Allied Surveyors Scotland are very proud to support the country’s leading amateur golfers in their development.”
The action starts at 0645 on Monday with scoring updates, results and news featured on www.scottishgolf.org throughout the week. Entrance is free for spectators and the 36-hole final takes place on Saturday, with tee-times of 0830 and 1300.
*The seedings for the Championship are:
1 James Byrne (Banchroy)
2 Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
3 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)
4 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh)
5 James White (Lundin)
6. Philip McLean (Peterhead)
7. David Law (Hazlehead)
8. Greg Paterson (St Andrews New).

*East Lothian club Craigielaw, a near neighbour of Gullane, has the most players represented in the Championship with a total of eight, while players of Scottish origin are travelling from as far as Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

Critic Darren Clarke a surprise Ryder choice by Monty

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Colin Montgomerie has sprung a surprise by picking Darren Clarke as one of his Ryder Cup vice captains along with the two expected selections, Thomas Bjorn and Paul McGinley.
Clarke, who could still make the team after boosting his chances by finishing second in the Barclays Scottish Open, was a behind-the-scenes critic of the controversial drop Montgomerie took during the 2005 Indonesian Open at Jakarta, where television replays indicated the Scot had incorrectly replaced his ball after an overnight weather delay.
Indeed, it is believed Clarke was trying to make a point when, at the Irish Open the following year, he marked the exact position of his ball in deep rough when play was called off because of bad weather before coming back the next day to see some 'helpful' spectators had trampled down the grass to give him a perfect lie. He could have gone for the green, but instead he chipped out sideways as he probably would have done the previous day.
Clarke is not said to be close to Montgomerie, but there's no doubting the fact they've admired each others' game and competitiveness over the years and have obviously agreed to put whatever differences they may have had in the past to try and help win back the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in October.
Explaining why he'd selected Clarke, Montgomerie said at Wentworth yesterday: "He's a five-time Ryder Cup player and was four times on the winning team. Who can forget, in 2006, the emotion that was played out in front of his home audience in Ireland at The K Club? Passion and commitment to regaining the Ryder Cup spring entirely towards Darren."
Clarke was a hero of the victory Montgomerie referred to only a month after his wife, Heather, died of breast cancer. Montgomerie first approached the 41-year-old two weeks ago, but it was at last week's Open Championship at St Andrews that the Ulsterman agreed to come on board.
Montgomerie and Clarke were team-mates in five matches, winning four of them. Indeed Clarke's first game at Valderrama in 1997 was with the Scot as his fourball partner and they beat Fred Couples and Davis Love on the last. It was thought Montgomerie might go for a Welshman like Phillip Price because of where the match is, but instead he has enlisted the help of Clarke.
"It is an honour to work under Monty and be part of his team in trying to regain the Ryder Cup," said Clarke. "I was asked during The Open and said 'yes' immediately. He said he wanted me there one way or another and is aware that I could still make the side. Monty would want me to play - there's no question of that. If I do happen to play well enough to give him a little bit of an extra headache, not that he hasn't got one at the moment, we shall see. But right now as it stands, I'm outside the team and I'm delighted to be part of his backroom staff."
Asked if differences have been cast aside for the good of the team, he added: "As with anybody you are going to have a few things over which you have disagreements, but those are all in the past. Monty is a figure for everybody to look up to in the Ryder Cup, most definitely. His record of never having been beaten in singles says it all and in terms of the Ryder Cup he has been sensational. I think that's a fair comment.
"You can't argue with that in any shape or form and I think that will continue as captain. He will command a huge amount of respect in that team room and I am 100 per cent committed to help Monty in whatever way I can - as are Paul and Thomas - to get the best out of his team."
Clarke's appointment was welcomed by McGinley, who along with Bjorn had always looked top of the list after being hand-picked by the Scot to be the opposing captains at last September's Vivendi Trophy match between Continental Europe versus Britain and Ireland.
"It (Darren's selection] was a bit of a surprise but he's a great addition," said McGinley. "He's a popular guy who is going to be great in the team room. Everyone knows him and Lee Westwood get on great. There's also going to be a strong Northern Ireland contingent as well with Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy so Darren ticks a lot of boxes."
Montgomerie originally expressed his wish for Jose Maria Olazabal to join him and repeat the role he performed under Sir Nick Faldo in the defeat at Valhalla two years ago. It is believed Olazabal was luke-warm to the idea in any case, but because of rheumatic pains he did not make his first appearance on the European Tour this year until the French Open three weeks ago.
Because of that, Montgomerie decided he wanted three people who were out playing on the Tour week in, week out and revealed he told the Spaniard of his decision in a phone call. "I made that decision on his behalf, I think," he said. "It was a phone call I didn't want to make really due to his passion for the Ryder Cup, but I think Jose Maria will be a Ryder Cup captain in the future.
"I think it is important for the vice captains to be part of the Tour, playing with potential clients for picks and being associated with the players. Unfortunately, Olly, who hasn't played much on the Tour for the last two years, isn't well enough physically at the moment to play four rounds.
"His lack of participation, if you like, was a sign that he wasn't at that stage to be part of a vice captaincy role."