DUNCAN STEWART CLICKETY-CLICKS WITH A LEADING 66 AT ROWALLAN CASTLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Highlander Duncan Stewart's investors, who include Paul Lawrie, will be rubbing their hands in anticipation of a big dividend after the Grantown on Spey man's bogey-free, five-under-par 66 to lead the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters 54-hole tournament at Rowallan Castle GC, Ayrshire today.
Stewart, pictured, won one of the PGA EuroPro Tour's £10,000 jackpot prizes last season and he's the front-runner for this one, although only a shot ahead of Banchory's James Byrne and Irishman Michael McGeady on the 67 mark.
Stewart, who sold 150 "shares" at £100 a time in himself, promising to pay out a dividend at the end of the season if he ended up making a profit, birdied the fourth, short eighth, 12th, long 13th and 14th in halves of 34-32 for the par-71 circuit.
Byrne, a Walker Cup hero at Balgownie last September but whose fledgling pro career has hardly got off the launching platform, also got round without a bogey. He birdied the short second, fourth, long ninth and 14th for his 67 (32-35).
Chris Kelly (Cawder), who parred the first 10 holes, finished up matching the par of 71 to be joint ninth in the big field overnight.
Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) bogeyed four holes in a row from the eighth on his way to a 73 where he joined fellow Scots Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay and David Law (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre). They are joint 26th.
Mark Rae (Alyth) had a 74.
If Byrne's pro career is stalling, Walker Cup team-mate Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) can hardly get his pro engine started. He had a six-over-par 77 which included two double bogeys and is languishing in joint 83rd place.
A Walker Cup player of an earlier vintage, Wallace Booth (Comrie), beaten in a recent EuroPro Tour play-off, had a 78
Booth, starting at the 10th, took 44 blows for his first nine holes, running up a double bogey at the short 10th and a triple bogey 8 at the long 16th.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 71
66 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey).
67 James Byrne (Banchory), Michael McGeady (Ire)
68 James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale),
69 Billy Fowles (Wentworth), Scott Fallon (Eng).
70 Dan Wait (The Wisley), Graham Benson (Leighton Buzzard).

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
71 Chris Kelly (Cawder) (T9).
73 Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links), Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), Jordan Findlay (unatt), David Law (Paul Lawrie GC) (T26)
74 Mark Rae (Alyth) (T33)
75 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) (T56)
76 Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) (T68)
77 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), Ed Wood (Crow Wood), Lorne Kelly (ProDream USA) (T83)
78 John Gallagher (Turnhouse), Wallace Booth (Comrie) (T93)
79 Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links), Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) (T106)
80 Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) (T113)
81 John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) (T119)
84 Myles Cunningham (Longniddry) (T120)

Spectator entry is free throughout the 54-hole stroke-play event.  
A cut to the top 50 players plus ties will be made after Thursday’s second round.
Live scoring is available throughout the event on this website and directions to the course are available here: 
www.rowallancastle.com/contact

SECOND ROUND TEE TIMES AT ROWALLAN CASTLE

No admission charge for spectators 

                  TWO-TEE START

07:30	9	Mark Ramsdale  Formby Golf Club  Steve Uzzell  Hornsea Golf Club  Adam Keogh  Boston West
07:40	9	Daniel Wardrop  Didsbury Golf Club  Robert Harris  Francis Kirk & Son  Liam Burns  Sundridge Park
07:45	1	Steven Fawcitt  Morpeth  Ryan Newman  Brookmans Park GC  Jamie Howarth  De Vere Mottram Hall
07:50	9	Tom Haylock  Red Golf Management  Paul Cutler  Portstewart  Noel Fox  Portmarnock
07:55	1	Matthew Evans  Rotherham Golf Club  James Westwood  Eaton Golf Club  Daniel Gavins  Wheatley Golf Club
08:00	9	Andy Shakespear  Shakey Investment Club  Mark Penny  Morpeth Golf Club  Luke Collins  Mendip Spring Golf Club
08:05	1	Wallace Booth  Comrie Golf Club  Zane Scotland  Woodcote Park GC/Princes GC  Paul Grannell  Vale Royal Abbey
08:10	9	Jason Dransfield  De Vere Wychwood Park  Stuart Archibald  media-tactics  Graham Benson  Leighton Buzzard Golf Club
08:15	1	Ryan Thomas  Aberdare  Billy Hemstock  Teignmouth  Tom Way-Rider  Eaton Golf Club
08:20	9	Zack Saltman  Archerfield  Luke Joy  Broadstone (Dorset) Golf Club  Sam Matton  Bowood GC
08:25	1	Matthew Tottey  North Wales Golf Club  Michael McGeady  McCambridge Duffy  Jonathan Caldwell  Clandeboye
08:30	9	James Housby  Penrith Golf Centre  Duncan Stewart  Grantown on Spey  Nick McCarthy  Moortown
08:35	1	Alexander Holmes  Gorleston Golf Club  Steven Hackett  colemangolf.ie  Mark Chamberlain  Hockley Energy Inc
08:40	9	Matt Allen  Berkshire GC / First Rate FX  Dale Marmion  Eaton Golf Club  Ed Wood  Crow Wood Golf Club
08:45	1	Joseph Feather  Leeds Golf Centre  Dave Coupland  Sharp Sports Golf Management  Nicholas Garland  Toft Hotel Golf Club
08:50	9	Sandeep Grewal  Heswall Golf Club  Darryn Lloyd  Acrabuild Ltd/W.Ash & Sons  Elliot Saltman  Archerfield Links
08:55	1	Chris Kelly  Cawder Golf Club  Gareth Evans  Crow Nest Park Golf Club  Stuart Manley  Machynys Peninsula
09:00	9	Martin LeMesurier  South Winchester Golf Club  Dan Seymour  Newbury Golf Centre  Scott Fallon  Lightning Packaging Supp Ltd
09:05	1	Paul Doherty  Vale Hotel  Daniel Perrett  Purplegolf.com  James Byrne  IMG
09:10	9	John Henry  Clydebank and District  Francisco Pintor Smith  Comunidad Valenciana de golf  Jonathan Gidney  Church Stretton
09:15	1	Paul O'Hanlon  The Curragh G.C.  Kevin Harper  Exeter Golf & Country Club  Paul Reed  Bristol & Clifton Golf Club
09:20	9	Lorne Kelly  Prodream USA  Oliver Farr  Worcester GCC  George Cowan  Westerhope Golf Club
09:25	1	Tim Dykes  Penrith Golf Club  Dodge Kemmer  The Calafornia Golf Club  Philip Ridden  City of Newcastle Golf Club
12:30	9	Andrew Willey  Notts Golf Club  Cian Curley  Team Ireland Golf
12:40	9	Levi Desmond  www.levidesmondgolf.co.uk  Dan Waite  The Wisley  George Parker  The London Club
12:45	1	Aaron Rai  DCD Group  Miles Collins  Stoke by Nayland  Mark Kerr  Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel
12:50	9	Ross Oliver  Carrickfergus Golf club  James Robinson  Southport & Ainsdale  Michael Lindfield  Sovex Ltd
12:55	1	Jack Harrison  Wildwood Golf Club  Henry Knight  Kirby Muxloe Golf Club  Maxim French  RAC
13:00	9	Justin Sloan  Brough Golf Club  James Ruth  St Mellion International  Mark Raven  The Wisley
13:05	1	Charlie Lidyard  Leatherhead  Craig Housden  Channels  Jack Winer  Woolston Manor Golf Club
13:10	9	Jack Brooks  Pleasington, CHC, Serious Law  David Law  Paul Lawrie Golf Centre  Greg Nicolson  Mortonhall Golf Club
13:15	1	Shaun McAllister  Craigielaw golf club  Tim Rice  Limerick  Ben Storey  Pennings Group
13:20	9	Tom Shadbolt  Brocket Hall  Liam Hunt  High Legh Park  James Watts  The Sports Academy/East Herts
13:25	1	James Ruebotham  Welwyn Garden City GC  Wayne Telford  Rathmore Golf Club  Charlie Simpson  Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
13:30	9	Matthew Tweddell  Belmont Golf Club  Paul Maddy  Gog Magog  Michael Stewart  Troon Welbeck
13:35	1	Jon White  Saunton Golf Club  Steven Capper  Caldy Golf Club  Martin Edge  www.heskethgolfclub.co.uk
13:40	9	Ian Keenan  Royal Liverpool  Alex Belt  The De Vere Club  James Scade  Ingrebourne Links
13:45	1	Jordan Findlay  Unattached  Richard Tagg  Sherwood Forest Golf Club  Malcolm Isaacs  Project Solutions Ecosse
13:50	9	Alex Christie  Tyrrells Wood  Westley Wray  Lords Golf & Country Club  Scott Arnold  NSW Golf Club
13:55	1	Jeff Pitt  bet365  Myles Cunningham  Longniddry Golf Club  Mark Rae  Aberdeen Door Systems
14:00	9	David Rawluk  The Island  James Webber  Regiment Way Golf Centre  John Gallagher  Turnhouse Golf Club
14:05	1	William Harrold  Sheringham Golf Club  Todd Adcock  The Nevill Golf Club  Dane Bairstow  Bingley St Ives
14:10	9	Billy Fowles  Wentworth  Mark Laskey  Brocket Hall  James Hepworth  Ilkley Golf Club
14:15	1	Ruaidhri McGee  Golfhub / Las Colinas  Ryan O'Neill  Penwortham Golf Club  Rika Batibasaga  Indoorpilly GC
14:20	9	Neil Chaudhuri  www.specialisteyes.co.uk  Nick Flynn  Burhill Golf Club  Richard Edginton  Royal Wimbledon/Effingham
14:25	1	Neil Dean  Minchinhamton Golf Club  Michael Downes  The San Roque Club  James Maw  Abbeydale Golf Club
14:35	1	Gary Shilliday (a)  Unattached  Stephen Grant  The Heritage  Darren Wright  Rowlands Castle Golf Club