FERRIE, MANN AND KERR SET PACE IN PAUL LAWRIE INVITATIONAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

European Tour player Kenny Ferrie from the North-east of England, Carnoustie’s Lindsay Mann and rookie pro Mark Kerr (Murrayfield) shared the lead on three-ujnder-par 67 on the first day of the inaugural Paul Lawrie Invitational 54-hole tournament at Deeside Golf Club, Aberdeen.

Some 23 players are on 70 or better going into the second round at the end of which there will be a cut to eliminate half the field for Friday’s final 18 holes over the Bieldside parkland course.

Ferrie came storming home in four-under-par 30, birdieing the 10^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th and 17^th with only one shot dropped, at the 11^th.

As a man who has already shot a round of 60 on the European Tour this year – in the Andalucia event won by Paul Lawrie himself, Ferrie will fancy his cance of going a lot lower than 67 over the next two rounds. He dropped three shots over the first seven holes so there is certainly room for improvement.

In contast, former Walker Cup player Lindsay Mann made his score over the first six holes with birdies at the second, fourth, fifth and sixth in three-under 33 to the turn.

Mark Kerr started both halves with a bogey but managed to birdie the third, sixth, eighth, 11^th and 16^th in halves of 34 and 33.

Hazlehead amateur David Law, having failed to make the match-play stages of the British amateur championship at Hillside, Lancashire on Tuesday evening, phoned his mentor, Paul Lawrie, to ask if he could use his influence to get him into the Deeside field.

It was 9.30pm, with Law well on his way motoring back to the North-east, by the time Paul Lawrie had contacted PGA Scotland supreme Michael MacDougall and got his Paul Lawrie Team member into the field.

Law, Scottish boys and men’s amateur champion in 2010, responded to the opportunity with a 68 to be lying joint fourth alongside such worthies as the in-form Greig Hutcheon (Banchory).

Heather MacRae (Downfield) as also done very well to keep up with the lads, not to mention the man himself, Paul Lawrie, on the level par 70 mark..

Former Curtis Cup player and past Scottish amateur champion Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), who only recently returned to playing golf after falling out of love with the game,  had a creditable 73.

ALL THE FIRST-ROUND SCORES

Par 70

67 Kenny Ferrie (unatt), Lindsay Mann (Carnoustie), Mark Kerr (Murrayfield).

68 Ross Cameron (McDonald Ellon), David Law (Hazlehead) (am), Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar), Stewart Savage (Dalmuir), Kenny Hutton (Downfield), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory).

69 Stephen McAllister (Renaissance Club).

70 Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), Daniel Wood (Eyemouth), David Addison (Kilmarnock Barassie), Heather MacRae (Downfield), Mark Loftus (Adam Hunter Golf), Andrew McArthur (unatt), Kevin McAlpine (Alyth), Paul O’Hara (unatt), Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Paul Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Foundation), David Patrick (Elie), Stephen Gray (Hayston).

71 Sean Lawrie (Portlethen) (am), Scott McGrenaghan (Cochrane Castle), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), David Orr (East Renfrewshire), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle).

72 Ian Bratton (Newburgh on Ythan), Greg McBain (Royal Dornoch), Lee Vannett (Carnoustie Links), Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle).

73 Michele Thomson (McDonald Ellon), Alastair Love (St Andrews), Dean Vannet (Peterculter), Eric Ramsay (Carnoustie), Michael Patterson (unatt).

74 Andrew Rollo (Moray), Christopher Robinson (Dumfries and Galloway), Steven Duncan (unatt), Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie).

75 Stuart Wlliamson (West Kilbride), Stephen Lamb (Cardrona), Ross Dixon (Dumfries and Galloway), Mark King (Kingsfield), William Colquoun (Dundonald Links), Peter Smith (Deeside), Craig Ronald (Carluke).

76 Alan Reid (West Lothian), Scott Herald (Adam Hunter Golf).

77 Graeme Nethercott (Deeside), Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Chris Kelly (Cawder).

78 Samuel Cairns (Colville Park), Gareth Hardy (Belleisle).

79 Colin Nelson (MacKenzie Shop), David Thomson (Carnegie).