SUPER-MAC SHOOTS A 62 TO GO THREE CLEAR IN MUIR DEER PARK MASTERS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Milton of Campsie-based Paul McKechnie, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, produced one of the rounds of the Scottish season - a 10-under-par 62 - to jump three shots clear of the field at the halfway stage of the Muir Deer Park Masters at Deer Park Golf Club, Livingston.
McKechnie's effort was a bogey-free round in which his number of birdies (10) exceeded his pars (8) in halves of 32 (four under par) and 30 (six under par).
"It was a great round but unfortunately Paul can only claim it as the lowest score every recorded round Deer Park. Because they were playing off preferred lies, it won't be recognised as a course record," said Tournament Director Roy Murray.
Paul's birdies came at the first, long second, short third, ninth, 11th, long 12th, 13th, long 14th, short 16th and 18th.
A winner only once this season on the domestic circuit - back in May, McKechnie has one hand on the £3,000 first prize but after Adam Scott's downfall, the Braid Hills Golf Range pro will be taking nothing for granted.
McKechnie's nearest challenger is the new Gleneagles Scottish PGA champion Graham Fox who also kept a bogey off his card ad he turned a 65. Curiously enough, he matched the leader's inward half of six-under 30 with birdies at exactly the same holes.
Welshman Gareth Wright (West Linton) and Irvine's James McKinnon are sharing third place on 66. Wright had eight birdies but two bogeys while McKinnon had seven birdies and one over-par figure.
The double shotgun format seemed to favour the morning starters with McKechnie, Fox and Wright in the first group.
Of the leading six, only McKinnon had a tee time in the afternoon group when there was more of a wind than there had been pre-lunch.
Conversely, the team event was won by four men who played in the afternoon - Bothwell Castle pro Steven Taylor and his amateur trio, representing KPMG, of Hugh Harvie (handicap 4), Ross Keene (13) and Munro Sutherland (10).

FIRST-ROUND PRO SCORES
Par 72
62 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills GR).
65 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle).
66 Gareth Wright (West Linton), James McKinnon (Irvine)
67 Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Scott Henderson (Kings Links).
68 Kevin Phillips (Winterfield), David Patrick (Elie SC), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), David Orr (Mearns Castle).
69 Mark Kerr (unatt), Craig Gordon (Edinburgh GC), James Browning (unatt), Jonathan Clifffe (Murrayfield), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Steven Duncan (Carnoustie Links).
70 Alastair Mackenzie (Renaissance Club), Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR), Jonathan Sharp (Carrick on Loch Lomond).
71 Craig Ronald (Carluke) Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Mark Kerr (unatt), Stuart Williamson (West Kilbride)
72 Norman Huguet (Musselburgh).
73 Gordon Law (Uphall), Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), Scott Herald (Mearns Castle), Greg Paxton (Ralston), Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club), Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy), David Laing (Craigielaw), Christopher Currie (Caldwell).
74 Keir McNicoll (Gullane), Jonathan Lomas (unatt), Vincent Brown (Westerwood), Terry Mathieson (Murcar Links), James McGhee (Duddingston), Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links), Greg McBain (Gamola Golf), Cameron West (Scotscraig).
75 Matthew Burt (Helensburgh), Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm), Terence Burgoyne (Glencruitten), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Ross Leeds (Turnberry)
76 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle).
78 Jamies Mackay (North Gailes), John Ruth (Clydeway Golf).
79 Alan Waugh (Clydebank and Dist).

 Round 2 TEE TIMES on WEDNESDAY

2B   8:55 AM   Steven Taylor, Bothwell Castle Golf Club
4B   8:55 AM   Terence Burgoyne, Glencruitten Golf Club
8B   8:55 AM   Ross Leeds, Turnberry Hotel
11B  8:55 AM   Jason McCreadie, Buchanan Castle Golf Club
12B  8:55 AM   Jamie Mackay, North Gailes Golf Centre
14B  8:55 AM   John Ruth, Clydeway Golf
17B  8:55 AM   Alan Waugh, Clydebank & District Golf Club
1A   9:00 AM   Gordon Law, Uphall Golf Club
2A   9:00 AM   Ross Dixon, Renaissance Club
3A   9:00 AM   Ross Cameron
4A   9:00 AM   Scott Herald, Mearns Castle Golf Academy
5A   9:00 AM   Jonathan Lomas
6A   9:00 AM   Vincent Brown, Westerwood Golf & Country Club
7A   9:00 AM   Terry Mathieson, Murcar Links Golf Club
8A   9:00 AM   Christopher Currie, Caldwell Golf Club
9A   9:00 AM   Matthew Burt, Helensburgh Golf Club
10A  9:00 AM   Greg Paxton, Ralston Golf Club
11A  9:00 AM   Alan Lockhart, Ladybank Golf Club
12A  9:00 AM   David Laing, Craigielaw Golf Club
13A  9:00 AM   Keir McNicoll, Gullane Golf Club
14A  9:00 AM   James McGhee, Duddingston Golf Club
15A  9:00 AM   Iain Colquhoun, Dundonald Links
16A  9:00 AM   Cameron West, Scotscraig Golf Club
17A  9:00 AM   Greg McBain, Gamola Golf
18A  9:00 AM   Michael Patterson, Kilmacolm Golf Club

2B   1:55 PM   Jonathan Sharp, Carrick on Loch Lomond
4B   1:55 PM   Robert Arnott, Bishopbriggs Golf Range
8B   1:55 PM   Craig Ronald, Carluke Golf Club
11B  1:55 PM   Neil Fenwick, Dunbar Golf Club

12B  1:55 PM   Mark Kerr
14B  1:55 PM   Stuart Williamson, West Kilbride Golf Club
17B  1:55 PM   Norman Huguet, Musselburgh Golf Club
1A   2:00 PM   Paul McKechnie, Braid Hills Golf Range
2A   2:00 PM   Gareth Wright, West Linton Golf Club
3A   2:00 PM   Craig Matheson, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club
4A   2:00 PM   Kevin Phillips, Winterfield Golf Course
5A   2:00 PM   David Orr, Mearns Castle Golf Academy
6A   2:00 PM   Mark King, Kingsfield Golf Range
7A   2:00 PM   James Browning
8A   2:00 PM   Stephen Gray, Hayston Golf Club
9A   2:00 PM   Alastair Mackenzie, Renaissance Club
10A  2:00 PM   Graham Fox, Rowallan Castle Golf Club
11A  2:00 PM   James McKinnon, Irvine Golf Club
12A  2:00 PM   Scott Henderson, Kings Links Golf Centre
13A  2:00 PM   David Patrick, Elie Sports Centre
14A  2:00 PM   Graeme Brown, Montrose Golf Links Ltd.
15A  2:00 PM   Craig Gordon, Edinburgh Golf Centre
16A  2:00 PM   Jonathan Cliff, Murrayfield Golf Club
17A  2:00 PM   Steven Duncan, Carnoustie Golf Links
18A  2:00 PM   Greig Hutcheon, Banchory Golf Club