LAW, NICOL LEADING SCOTS IN WELSH OPEN STROKE PLAY

North-east pair David Law (Hazlehead) and Fraserburgh's Kris Nicol and Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs)  spearheaded the Scottish challenge in the first round of the 72-hole Welsh men's open amateur stroke-play championship at St Pierre.
They were all on the one-over-par 73 mark on a day when the CSS was 76, three above the SS.
Walker Cup team candidate Oliver Farr set the pace with a 69.

FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD
Par 72. SSS 73. CSS 76
69 Oliver Farr (Ludlow).
70 Ben Loughrey (Wred Barn).
71 James Frazer (Pennard), Andrew Cooley (Chobham), Darren Wright (Rowland Castle), Tom Lewis (Welwyn Garden City).
SCOTS' SCORES:
73 David Law (Hazlehead), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) (T12).
74 James Ross (Royal Burgess) (T17).
75 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Ross Bell (Downfield) (T21).
77 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) (T42).
78 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) (T55).
79 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) (T72).
83 James White (Lundin) (T107).
Field of 123 players