BUCHAN LOONS FINDLAY AND NICOL START WELL IN ITALY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay and Kris Nicol made a flying start to the Alps Tour Final Qualifying School in Italy today but a third North-east player, Northern Open champion and Scottish amateur champion David Law from Aberdeen is in big danger of missing the 36-hole cut after an error-strewn 78.
The leading 65 players and ties after Tuesday's second round will go on to the third and final round at the end of which only the leading 35 will gain playing rights for the Alps Tour.
Two courses are used over the first two rounds and Findlay, pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is sharing the lead with Frenchman Jerome Lando-Cananova at Toscana Golf Club with four-under-par 67s.
Findlay, 23-year old former British boys champion, said:
“I did not make any mistakes. I hit 17 greens and holed four birdie putts - at the 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th.”
"Unfortunately I missed out at Stage 1 of the European Tour School qualifyingthe so I was advised by Gavin Dear and Scott Henry (both former Alps Tour players), that this circuit is well run and good to prepare for the upper circuits.”

Kris Nicol, pictured right, looked like leading at the end of the day at Toscana until he ran up a double bogey 6 at the 17th and parred the last for a 68.
Ealier Nicol had birdied the first, second and sixth in an outward 33 to which he added birdies at the 12th and 15th before coming off the rails temporarily.
Peterhead's Philip McLean and Ross Kellett (Colville Park) had reasons to be cheerful with one-over 72s at Toscana. McLean had one birdie (at the 12th) and two bogeys. Kellett had three birdies but four bogeys.
At the Punta Ala par-72 course, three players share the lead on 69 - English Walker Cup player Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale), Nicolas Porteboeuf (France) and Daniel Osorio (Spain).
John Henry (Clydebank), originally a non-qualifier at last week's Stage 1 but admitted to this week's field on a withdrawal, shot a 73 at Punta Ala with an eagle 2 at the 10th after a triple bogey 7 at the ninth.
It was at Punta Ala that David Law had a 78 in which he had a triple bogey 8 at the long seventh and a double bogey 6 at the third in halves of 40 and 38. On his outward half the Aberdonian had only two par figures, at the sixth and eighth.
David's eventful outward half read: birdie at first, bogey at short second, double bogey 6 at the third, birdie at the long fourth, birdie at the fifth, par at the sixth, triple bogey 8 at the long seventh, par at the eighth and bogey at the ninth. Then he settled down to have a run of six pars from the turn but slipping off the perch again with bogeys at the 16th and 17th.
Also at this venue, Walker Cup Scot Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) had an uninspired three-over 75 with a triple bogey 7 at the 12th being countered by an eagle 2 at the next hole.
Stewart. still ranked in the top 12 world amateurs, also birdied the long fourth.
He dropped single shots at the fifth, eighth, 11th and 14th in halves of 37 (one over) and 38 (two over).
Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) did even worse than David Law at Punta Ala. He had a 10 at the par-4 ninth and a triple bogey 7 at the 16th in his 11-over-par 83.
The youngest of the three Saltman brothers, Zack birdied the short second but bogeyed the fifth and short sixth before he got back to level par with a birdie at the long seventh. That 10th at the ninth put him out in 42. Coming home, he bogeyed the short 11th and then the 12th before his triple boghey 7 at the 16th saw him home in 41.
Zack had played so well at last week's Stage 1 but that form has evaporated even in perfect, windless conditions.
The pundits' forecast is that to be among the 65 and ties who will advance after Tuesday's second round, players will have to score three over par or better. To make the top 35 and gain playing rights, a level par aggregate or better for the 54 holes is the forecast.


COLLATED SCOREBOARD

ALPS TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Italy - 54 holes
FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
TOSCANA (par 71)
67 Jerome Lando-Casanova (Fra), Jordan Findlay (Sco).
Selected scores:
68 Kris Nicol (Sco), Luca Fenoglio (Ita).
69 Andrew Cooley (Eng) (am)
70 Warren Harmston (Eng), Donald Stirling (Eng).
71 Matthew McAlpin (N Ire), Tom Sherreard (Eng).
72 Philip McLean (Sco), Ross Kellett (Sco).
73 Adrian Gray (Eng).
75 Richard Glen (Eng).
77 Ben Banks (Eng)
78 Mike Kelly (Ire).
PUNTA ALA (par 72)
68 Stiggy Hodgson (Eng), Nicolaus Porteboeuf (Fra), Daniel Osorio (Spa).
Selected scores:
73 John Henry (Sco).
75 Michael Stewart (Sco), Jack Senior (Eng), Daniel Perrett (Eng).
78 David Law (Sco), Alexander Christie (Eng), Darren Wright (Eng).
79 Elliot Forbes (Eng) (am)
80 Nicholas Jenkins (Eng).
81 Jack Carter (Eng).
83 Zack Saltman (Sco)