WALLACE BOOTH ON LEADER'S TAIL AT MAR HALL SCOTTISH CLASSIC

NEWS RELEASE
Englishman Daniel Wardrop leads the MarHall.com Scottish Classic by one shot to Comrie’s Wallace Booth after shooting a second-round four-under-par 66 to move to eight under.

Wardrop (Didsbury Golf Club) registered the same score in his opening round on Wednesday but the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event is set for an exciting climax on Friday with four golfers just two shots behind Wardrop.

The Manchester golfer opened his second round with a bogey at the tenth but took his card below par with birdies at 14 and 15. Two more pairs of back-to-back birdies – at the first and second and sixth and seventh – were only slightly marred by a bogey five at the fourth and Wardrop concluded the day in pole position.

Booth (Comrie Golf Club) also began his second round on the 10th tee and was three under par when he turned home after notching up successive birdies at 13, 14 and 15. He added two more at one and three but was set back by a double bogey on the fourth. He made amends with birdies at the seventh and ninth to sign for a second-round 65 when he returned to the clubhouse, putting him seven under par having shot a 68 on Wednesday.

Four golfers are tied for third, two shots behind Wardrop. Darryn Lloyd (Acrabuild ltd) and Michael McGeady (McCambridge Duffy) both shot second-round 66s to add to their opening-day 68s while Robert Harris (Francis Kirk and Son) and Martin LeMesurier carded 67s to match their first-round scores.

Lloyd, McGeady and Harris each registered five birdies in their second round, with Lloyd bogeying the fourth and McGeady the fifth. Harris dropped shots at four and  LeMesurier, who is currently fourth on the Order of Merit, shot four birdies and a bogey on his way to 67.

Finishing high up the leaderboard on Friday would help Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) cement his place in the all-important Order of Merit top five. He is tied for seventh with James Scade (Ingrebourne Links), three strokes off leader Wardrop.

Overnight leaders Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) and Warren Harmston (Wentworth Golf Club) both dropped down the leaderboard with above-par second rounds. Stewart was one over par 70 for the day and is one of seven golfers four strokes off the lead, while Englishman Harmston is a further shot from the top after a second-round 72, two over par.

A cut to the leading 50 players plus ties has been made, with all golfers who are level par or better after 36 holes proceeding to play Friday’s final round.

Among the notable casualties were two members of last year's successful GB and I Walker Cup team at Balgownie - Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) and Banchory's James Byrne (IMG). Stewart shot 68-73 for 141 - two over the limit for qualifying. Byrne had scores of 70 and 74 for 144.
LEADERBOARD
Par 140 (2x70)
132 Daniel Wardrop (Didsbury) 66 66.
133 Wallace Booth (Comrie) 68 66
134 Darryn Lloyd (England) 68 66, Robert Harris (England) 67 67
OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
135 Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) 68 67 (T7)
136 Duncan Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 65 71 (T9)
137 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 68 69 (T16)
138 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle) 67 71, Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) 69 69, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 70 68 (T22)
139 Chris Kelly (Cawder) 69 7) (T39)
MISSED THE CUT (140 and better qualified)
141 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 68 73, Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) 71 70, Ross Cameron (Saltire Energy) 73 68, Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) 67 74, John Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 71 70.
143 Lorne Kelly (Prodream USA) 71 72.
144 Zack Saltman (Archerfield Links) 71 73, John Gallagher (Turnhouse) 71 73, James Byrne (IMG) 70 74
145 Jordan Findlay (unatt) 72 73
146 Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 75 71, Greg Nicolson (Mortonhall) 72 74
150 Philip McLean (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 75 75
161 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) (am) 82 79.
Spectator entry at Mar Hall is free and live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com.