YORKSHIREMAN BOOTH IS HALFWAY LEADER IN BATTLE TROPHY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

Stirling University student David Booth from Rotherham, a former winner of the Scottish youths champion, leads by two strokes at the halfway stage of this weekend's SGU Order of Merit 72-hole tournament - The Battle Trophy - over Crail Golfing Society's Craighead links today (Saturday).

Yorkshireman Booth, pictured, went clear of the field in fine, calm weather - after very heavy rain delayed the start of play until 8.30am -  with a fine second round of seven-under-par 65 for a 36-hole aggregate of 134.

His closest rival is a young man little known outside his native Aberdeenshire, Kevin Duncan from the McDonald Ellon Golf Club. He has shot 69-67 for 136.

Fraser McKenna (Balmore), winner of the Sutherland Chalice 72-hole event last year and the four-round Scottish Champion of Champions title at Leven two weeks ago, is lying handy in third place on 137 (69-68)

Paul Shields (Kirhill) is beginning to recapture his sterling South African form from earlier in the year. He has moved into four place on 138 with rounds of 70 and 68.

Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), joint fourth in last week's Craigmillar Park Open, is six shots off the pace on 140 with scores of 71 and 69.

The winner of Craigmillar Park Open, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) is on 143 after contrasting rounds of 76 and 67.
Defending champion Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) made the cut (151 or better qualfied) with nothing to spare after rounds of 74 and 77.
Also on the limit mark of 151 was Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) who played so well at the Craigmillar Park Open last week to finish third behind Robertson and Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire).
One of the non-qualifiers was former Walker Cup player and now reinstated as an amateur, Graham Gordon (Newmachar). He missed out by one on 152.

The very heavy rain which delayed the start threatened to cut the tournament to 54 holes but a two-tee start, thanks to quick work by the Crail greenkeeping staff in clearing excess water from the second nine, solved the time problem.

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 144 (2x72) CSS 74 74 74

134 David Booth (Rotherham) 69 65.

136 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 69 67.

137 Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 69 68.

138 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 70 68.

140 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 71 69.

141 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 68 73, Lawrence Allan (Alva) 71 70.

143 Oliver Roberts (Hong Kong) 72 71, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 76 67.

144 James Aitken (Alloa) 68 76.

146 Scott Larkin (royal Aberfdeen) 75 71, Ross Bell (Downfield) 75 71, James Hendrick (Pollok) 74 72, Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 72 74.

147 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 71 76, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 75 72, Conor Scott (Duddingston) 75 72, Ben Renfrew (The Wynyard) 77 70.
148 Jordan Milne (Elgin) 69 79, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire and Co) 72 76, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 73 75.
149 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 76 73, Thomas White (Kinross) 78 71, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 79 70,
150 Kit Holmes (Hunstanton) 74 76, John Duff (Newmachar) 74 76, Michael Daily (Erskine) 74 76, Alistair Hain (Ladybank) 76 74, Keith Anderson (Charleton) 77 73, Douglas Hunter (Dalmahoy) 77 73, Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 77 73 Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 78 72, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 78 72, Scott Brown (Turnberry) 79 71.
151 Michael Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 74 77, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 74 77, Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) 75 76, David Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 76 75, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 77 74.

MISSED THE CUT
152 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 76 76, Sam Binning (Ranfuly Castle) 76 76, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 76 76, Jeff Wright (Forres) 77 75, Graham Gordon (Newmachar) 79 73.
153 Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 73 80, William Bremner (Edzell) 76 77, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 76 73, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 78 75.
154 Jamie Arthur (Kinross)) 74 80, Paul Gault (Westerwood) 75 79, Liam McGowan (St Andrews New) 77 77, Greg Watson (Meldrum House) 77 77
155 Graeme S McDougall (Bishopbriggs)) 76 79, Scott Stewart-Cation (The Dukes) 77 81, Neil Beattie (St Andrews) 79 76.
156 Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes) 76 80, Lee Morgan (Swanston) 78 78, Chris Wood (North Berwick) 84 72.
157 Jordyn Rhind (Uphall) 76 81, Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) 76 81, Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 76 81.
162 Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay) 85 77
163 Keith Mackenzie (Bruntsfield Links) 76 87
164 Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle) 81 83, Jake Hogg (The Dukes) 82 82
165 Mike Forgan (Crail) 82 83, Scott Brownlie (Burntisland) 86 79
166 Ryan Doherty (Crail) 85 81
172 Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 86 86