FORMER SHINTY ACE JOHN FRASER LEADS SENIORS AFTER A 71

By COLIN FARQUHARSONColin@scottishgolfview.com
Former shinty ace and North-east District player John Fraser (Royal Burgess), pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, shot to the front with a par-matching 71 - the lowest of the tournament so far - to lead the Scottish senior men's open amateur stroke-play championship after 36 holes at Irvine Bogside GC, Ayrshire.
Defending champion Scott MacDonald, the former Walker Cup player from Dunfermline, missed the cut.
MacDonald did improve on his opening round of 83 but an 80 for 163 left him four shots adrift of the qualifying limit of 159.
He was not alone among the big names of over-55s’ golf among the ranks of non-qualifiers.
Stephen Ellis (Inellan) missed out on 161 (80-81). So too did David Lane (Goring and Streatley) with scores of 80 and 82 for 162.
European Tour player Scott Jamieson’s father Peter, a Cathkin Braes, was eliminated on 162 (76-86) alongwith Alan Ferguson (Drumpellier) on 163 (80-83).
A second former Walker Cup player to miss the cut was Hazlehead’s Sandy Pirie on 166 (82-84).
At the sharp end of the tournament, overnight leader Robbie Fulker, a former Ayrshire county player and past Kilmarnock Barassie club captain and champion, dropped down from pole position with a 78 for 148.
John Fraser, who was an Aberdeen-based schoolteacher who travelled back North every weekend to play shinty for Newtonmore, moved into the picture with the low round of the tournament – a par-matching 71 – for 146 which gives him a one-stroke lead from local member Gordon Mair (75-72) and England’s Charles Banks (Stanton on the Wolds).(73-74)


LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 142 (2x71)
146 John Fraser (Royal Burgess) 75 71.
147 Gordon Mair (Irvine Bogside) 75 72, Charles Banks (Stanton on the Wolds) 73 74.
148 Robbie Fulker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 70 78.
149 Glyn Rees (Fleetwood) 75 74.
150 Fraser McClusky (Royal Burgess) 74 76, David Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) 74 76, James Gardner (Broomieknowe) 76 74.
151 Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross) 75 76, Rich Tolly (US) 77 74, Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) 74 77.
152 John Baldwin (Sunningdale) 76 76, Robbie Stewart (Tulliallan) 79 73, Roy Smethurst (Crewe) 76 76.
153 David Smith (Stirlig) 75 78, Douglas Cameron (Moor Park) 73 80, Gordon MacDonald (Callander) 74 79.
154 Richard Gray (Cowglen) 77 77, Dave Jessup (Rochester and Cobham) 77 77, Michael Wilson (Strathpeffer Spa) 76 78. Alan Harrington (Western Gailes) 74 80.
155 John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 81 74, Gerry Boobis (Ravelston) 78 77, Stephen Whymark (Woodbridge) 77 78, Michael Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 75 80, Michael Wigley (Royal North Devon) 74 81.
156 David Millar (St Andrews New) 79 77, Keith Morris (Camberley Heath) 78 78, Billy Mitchell (Hankley Common) 75 81, Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) 74 82, Derek Murphy (Kinross) 73 83.
157 David Brown (Irvine Ravenspark) 74 83, Albert Smith (Turriff) 83 74. John Willis (Carlistle) 80 77, Bob Humble (Kilspindie) 74 83.
158 Iain MacDonald (Bruntsfield Links) 84 75, Dave Millar (Goswick ) 81 78, Mike Wilde (Camberley Heath) 77 82, Nick O’Byrne (Moor Park) 81 78,Colin Christy (Kilmacolm) 79 80, Jim Watt (Edzell) 78 81, John Ashton (Prestwick St Nicholas) 80 79.


MISSED THE CUT (159 or better qualified)
Selected scores
160 Tony Stafford (Gleneagles) 78 82.
161 Stephen Ellis (Innellan) 80 81.
162 David Lane (Goring and Streatley) 80 82, Peter Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 76 86.
163 Alan Ferguson (Drumpellier0 80 83, Scott MacDonald (Dunfermline) 83 80.
166 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 82 84.
Retired Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and Co) 77 ret.
NRs Alistar Fiddes (Murcar Lins) 74 NR, Keith Bruce (Edzell) 78 NR.

FROM THE AYRSHIRE GOLF WEBSITE


One of the most notable qualifiers after Thursday's second round must be Rich Tolly from the United States Of America.
Opening with a 77 on Wednesday, Tolly was hampered by an injury to his big toe which resulted in medical treatment and the on-course first-aiders being required to dress his toe prior to his second round.
The dressing meant that Tolly could not get his golf shoe on so he completed an impressive round of 74 on Thursday, for a championship total of 151, wearing a golf shoe on one foot and an open-toed sandal on his injured foot. It remains to be seen if he will set a new trend in golfing footwear if he has a similarly good score with his unconventional attire on Friday.

ANOTHER TALKING POINT
One player apparently ran up a 22 at a shortish par-4 hole. Great credit to the man for not picking up after 10 or even 20 shots (as I would have done, comments The Editor)!

ALASDAIR MALCOLM REPORTS:

Spoke to the greenkeeper. Don't know the name of the player but apparently it was at the seventhth hole when he got into a bunker short of the green in 2 and I believe took 18 to get out..........a real Hamlet cigar moment !!!