JORDAN FINDLAY LEADING EIGHT SCOTS QUALIFIERS AT LYTHAM

A very good action picture of Jordan Findlay battling through the wind into contention in the Lytham Trophy today. Image by Tom Ward Photography.

Former British boys champion Jordan Findlay was one of the few to master a wild wind on the second day of the Lytham Trophy 72-hole tournament at Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club, Lancashire today.
Findlay, well used to playing in the "Buchan breeze" and Finland's Miro Veijaiainen were the only two players to get as low as two-over-par 72 in their second rounds.
For a spell that made them joint leaders on nine-over-par 149 at the halfway stage until Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City), a more recent winner of the British boys' crown than Findlay, returned a 75. Coupled with his first-day 72, that made Lewis the two-stroke leader on 147.
It looked as if 157 would be the cut-off mark for Sunday's final two rounds, which was good news for the Scots on that total, but in the last half-hour or so of play, it came down to 156.
First-round leader, Lancashire man Jack Senior (Heysham) was blown away with an 82 for 153 on a day when the par-3 fifth hole, for instance, required a driver to have any hope of getting as far as the green into the wind.
Many players felt play at least should have been suspended, if not claled off for the day.
Michael Smyth (Royal Troon), the leading Scot on Friday evening, also had an 82 for 155.
Last year, when Kris Nicol finished runner-up to Ireland's Paul Cutler, only four Scots survived the cut. This time the figure was eight Scottish qualifiers with James White and Greg Paterson on the 150 mark, Kris Nicol and Peter Latimer on 151, Graeme Robertson on 152, Fraser McKenna on 153 and Michael Smyth on 155.
Philip McLean, Scott Larkin, David Law and Paul Shields had the hardest of luck. Having battled through the wind to post two-round totals of 157, they missed out by one shot when the official cut mark was confirmed.
Scottish champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) withdrew with a wrist injury before the start of the tournament.

SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70). CSS 77 (Round 1).
147 Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City) 72 75.
149 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 77 72, Miro Veijalainen (Finland) 77 72, Arnaud Abbas (France) 72 77.
150 James White (Lundin) 76 74, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 76 74, Steven Brown (Wentworth) 74 76.
151 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 77 74, Michael Bedford (Prestbury) 76 75, Rhys Pugh (Vale of Glamorgan) 75 76, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 75 76.
152 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 77 75, Richard Bentham (St Pierre) 76 76.
Selected scores:
153 Jack Senior (Heysham) 71 82, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 76 77.
155 Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 73 82.

MISSED THE CUT (156 or better qualified)
157 Philip McLean (Peterhead) 79 78, David Law (Hazlehead) 78 79, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 74 83, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 79 78.
159 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 78 81, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 81 78.
160 Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 82 78, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 77 83..
162 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 75 87, Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 79 83, Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 88 74.
163 Mark Halliday (Royal Aberdeen) 79 84, Michael Campbell (Renfrew) 81 82.
164 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 79 85, Ross Bell (Downfield) 80 84.
165 Stephen Speirs (Scotland/Australia) 83 82.
166 Paul Gault (Westerwood) 84 82.
167 John Duff (Newmachar) 80 87.
168 Daniel Elder (Carnoustie) 82 86.
171 Kyle McClung (Wigtown Co) 84 87.
172 Zander Culverwell (Dunbar) 86 86.

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