CULVERWELL HALFWAY LEADER IN BATTLE TROPHY AT CRAIL

By  COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Stirling University student Alexander Culverwell, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a member at Dunbar Golf Club, is on the trail of his first win in an SGU 72-hole Order of Merit event.
With rounds of 70 and 74 for a total of level par 144, Culverwell is the halfway leader by one shot in this season's addition to the customary list of 72-hole tournaments - the Battle Trophy over the Crail Golfing Society's Craighead Course in the East Neuk of Fife.
On Culverwell's tail and partnering him in Sunday's final two rounds is Paul Shields (Kirkhill), twice beaten finalist in the Scottish boys' championship and winner of the North of Scotland open amateur championship at Inverness last year.
Shields has had steady rounds of 73 and 72 for 145.
Sharing third place with 36 holes to go on 146 are last year's Scottish amateur champion and Walker Cup team place contender Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and James Hendrick (Pollok).
Stewart has had rounds of 74 and 72, Hendrick 71 and 75.
Southerness youngster Scott Gibson slashed nine shots off his opening round of 78 and his 69 - the lowest score by anyone so far - put him in fifth place overnight on 147.

Given that the weather was not a factor, the overall standard of scoring was unexpectedly high - a fact confirmed by David Roy, the Crail Golfing Society managing secretary.

"We deliberately set the course up to be as easy as possible and we had almost perfect weather, so I am surprised that it is only level par that is leading. We’ll see how they do on Sunday, now they know the course better, and I would like to see the course record of 68 broken," said David.

HALFWAY LEADERBOARD
Par 144 (2x72). CSS 76 and 75.
144 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 74.
145 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 73 72.
146 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 74 72, James Hendrick (Pollok) 71 75.
147 Scott Gibson (Southerness) 78 69.
148 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 77 71.
149 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 80 69, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 77 72, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 75 74, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 75 74, David Law (Hazlehead) 74 75, Fraser McKenna (Falkirk Tryst) 74 75.
150 John Duff (Newmachar) 76 74, William Brenmner (Edzell) 76 74, Steven Smith (Dalmahoy Hotel) 76 74, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 75 75.
151 Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 80 71, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 78 73, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 77 74, Paul Betty (Lenzie) 76 75, Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 72 79.
152 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 77 75, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 77 75, Ross Bell (Downfield) 74 78, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 73 79.
153 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 81 72, James White (Lundin) 77 76, Connor O'Neill (Pollok) 77 76, Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) 74 79.
154 Paul Gault (Westerwood Hotel) 81 73, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 78 76, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 78 76, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 76 78, Alastair Hain (Ladybank) 75 79.
155 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 81 74, David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 80 75, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 79 76, Stephen Speirs (Portpatrick Dunskey) 77 78.
156 Alastair Thomson (Lundin) 83 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 81 75.

MISSED THE CUT
Sean Thompson 81 + 76 157 St Andrews Bay
Jamie Lynch 80 + 77 157 Falkirk Golf Club
Sam Binning 79 + 78 157 Ranfurly Castle Golf
Scott Stewart-Cation 79 + 78 157 Dukes G C St Andrew
Malcolm Pennycott 79 + 78 157 Whiting Bay Golf Clu
Greg Smail 76 + 81 157 Craigielaw G C
Michael Gray 75 + 82 157 Lanark Golf Club
Ben Renfrew 87 + 71 158 The Wynyard Club
Michael Daily 81 + 77 158 Erskine Golf Club
Ian Bell 79 + 79 158 Scotscraig Golf Club
Richard Chalmers 77 + 81 158 Buchanan Castle Golf
Colin Baird 83 + 76 159 Bothwell Castle Golf
Robert Carson 79 + 80 159 Dalmahoy Hotel Golf
Fraser Carr (Crail GS) 86 + 83 159
Richard Barr 76 + 83 159 Newmachar Golf Club
Daniel Sommerville 79 + 81 160 St Andrews Bay
John Wybar 79 + 81 160 Aldeburgh Golf Club
Ronald Clark 83 + 78 161 Erskine Golf Club
Chris Wood 83 + 78 161 Longniddry Golf Club
Keith Hamilton 82 + 79 161 Belleisle Municipal
Garry Duncan 80 + 82 162 Carnoustie Caledonia
Graeme S Mcdougall 75 + 87 162 Bishopbriggs Golf Cl
Philip Dempsey 85 + 78 163 Tulliallan Golf Club
Sean McGarvey 86 + 79 165 Glencorse Golf Club
Colin Martin 83 + 82 165 Balbirnie Park Golf
Alan Welsh 78 + 87 165 Cathkin Braes Golf C
James Barrett 87 + 83 170 Muckhart Golf Club
Jamie Binning 89 + 86 175 Ranfurly Castle Golf
NO RETURNS
Matthew Allen The Kendleshire
Craig Maiden Crail GS


SUNDAY'S THIRD AND FOURTH ROUND TEE-TIMES
7.30am and 12.20pm
Daniel Kay 81 75 156
Alastair Thomson 83 73 156
7.40am and 12.30pm
Alastair Hain 75 80 155
Stephen Speirs 77 78 155
7.50am and 12.40pm
Scott Larkin 79 76 155
David Mitchell 80 75 155
8.00am and 12.50pm
Fraser Moore 81 74 155
Philip McLean 76 78 154
8.10am and 13.00pm
Steven Rennie 78 76 154
Gordon Stevenson 78 76 154
8.20am and 13.10pm
Paul Gault 81 73 154
Stephen Neilson 74 79 153
8.30am and 13.20pm
James White 77 76 153
Connor O'Neil 77 76 153
8.40am and 13.30pm
Kevin Duncan 81 72 153
Glenn Campbell 73 79 152
8.50am and 13.40pm
Ross Bell 74 78 152
Colin Thomson 77 75 152
9.00am and 13.50pm
Chris Lawton 77 75 152
Andrew Wallace 72 79 151
9.10am and 14.00pm
Paul Betty 76 75 151
Mark Bookless 77 74 151
9.20am 14.10pm
Adam Dunton 78 73 151
Kyle McClung 80 71 151
9.30am 14.20pm
Greg Paterson 75 75 150
William Bremner 76 74 150
9.40am 14.30pm
Steven Smith 76 74 150
John Duff 76 74 150
9.50am 14.40pm
Fraser McKenna 74 75 149
David Law 74 75 149
10.00am 14.50pm
Peter Latimer 75 74 149
Matthew Clark 75 74 149
10.10am 15.00pm
Allyn Dick 77 72 149
Scott Crichton 80 69 149
10.20am 15.10pm
Graeme Robertson 77 71 148
Scott Gibson 78 69 147
10.30am 15.20pm
James Hendrick 71 75 146
Michael Stewart 74 72 146
10.40am 15.30pm
Paul Shields 73 72 145
Alexander Culverwell 70 74 144