STUDENT PRINCE JACK McDONALD SHARES LEAD AT CRAIL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Ayrshire's Jack McDonald, winner of the British universities golf championship at West Lancs on Thursday, carried on his rich seam of form to share the lead at the end of the first round of this weekend's SGU 72-hole Order of Merit event, the Battle Trophy, hosted by Crail Golfing Society.
Over the par 72 Craighead course - CSS 74 - Stirling student McDonald, a member at Kilmarnock Barassie GC and a former Scottish Under-16 boys champion, shot a 68, a score matched only by a relatively unknown competitor, James Aitken (Alloa).
They led by a shot from four players - Fraser McKenna (Balmore), winner of the Scottish Champion of Champions tournament at Leven a fortnight ago, Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Jordan Milne (Elgin) and David Booth (Rotherham), a former Scottish youths champion.
Defending champion Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) opened with a 74.
Heavy downpours delayed the start of play in the morning until 8.30am and a two-tee format was used to make up lost time.
Graeme Robertson (Stirling University and Glenbervie), winner of the Craigmillar Park Open last Sunday, had a disappointing 76 after a week where he did not shine at the British universities championship at West Lancs.

FIRST ROUND LEADERS
Par 72. CSS 74
68 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), James Aitken (Alloa).
69 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Jordan Milne (Elgin), David Booth (Rotherham.
70 Paul Shields (Kirkhill).
71 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), Euan Scott (St Andrews), Lawrence Allan (Alloa).
72 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton), Oliver Roberts (Hong Kong), Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire).
73 Steven Rennie (Drumpellier), Scott Borrowman (Dollar).
74 Michael Bacigalupo (Longniddry), James Hendrick (Pollok), Jamie Arthur (Kinross), Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), Michael Daily (Erskine), John Duff (Newmachar), Kit Holmes (Hunstanton), Connor O'Neil (Pollok).
75 Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen), Stephen Neilson (Dunbar), Paul Gault (Westerwood), Conor Scott (Duddingston), Ross Bell (Downfield), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
76 Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar), Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle), Alan Sutherland (Ladybank), lan Welsh (Cathkin Braes), Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst), Jordyn Rhind (Uphall), Alistair Hain (Ladybank), Keith Mackenzie (Bruntsfield Links), Graeme S McDougall (Bishopbriggs), Graham Robertson (Silverknowes), Danny Kay (Dunbar), David Mitchell (Leven Thistle), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Ross Noon (Craigielaw), Will Bremner (Edzell), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie).
77 Scott Stewart-Cation (The Dukes), Ben Renfrew (The Wynward), Douglas Hunter (Dalmahoy), Liam McGowan (St Andrews New), Jeff Wright (Forres), Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire), Greg Watson (Meldrum House), Keith Anderson (Charleton), Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe).
78 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie), Calum Hill (Tantallon), Lee Morgan (Swanston), Joshua Jamieson (St Andrews New), Thomas White (Kinross).
79 Neil Beattie (St Andrews), Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen), Graham Gordon (Newmachar), Scott Brown (Turnberry).
80 Colin Sutherland (Crail).
81 Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle).
82 Jake Hogg (The Dukes), Michael Forgan (Crail).
84 Chris Wood (North Berwick).
85 Ryan Docherty (Crail), Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay).
86 Angus Carrick (Douglas Park), Scott Brownlie (Burntisland)