McCREADIE FAILS TO BREAK 100 AT SKIBO

Twice Northern Open champion Jason McCreadie ran up an astonishing score of 102 - 31 over par - in a gale-force wind that threatened to wreck the first round of the 36-hole Carnegie Invitational over the Skibo Castle course near Dornoch today McCreadie, who led for a spell in last week's Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open, coped well for half the round, reaching the turn in only three-over-par 38. Then the roof fell in, metaphorically. The Buchanan Castle tour pro took 64 blows for the second nine, including a 10 at the par-4 11th, another 10 at the par-4 12th, a 12 at the par-5 15th, and an 8 at the par-4 17th. Jason was not alone in trials and tribulations. Even the bang-in-form Paul Lawrie had a four-over-par 75 which led for most of the day. Paul had a triple bogey 7 at the 16th and double bogeys at the short fourth and also the 11th. He had only one birdie. Then along came former Northern Open champion Gordon Law, almost the last man to finish, and he took the lead with a three-over 74. Birdie 2s at the sixth and 15th were the backbone of his score but, unlike most of his rivals, he had no double bogeys on his card. Third placed Stephen Gray (Hayston) had a 76 which included a 7 and only one birdie. PGA of Scotland supremo Michael MacDougall said later: "It was borderline unplayable. We positioned the flags in the least exposed parts of the greens and the greenkeeping staff did not cut the greens this morning so that the balls would hold on the greens. "But there was some movement and, as I say, it was borderline unplayable. Jason McCreadie has a hip and back injury which contributed to his high score." CARNEGIE 36-HOLE INVITATIONL Carnegie Links, Skibo Castle. FIRST ROUND 74 Gordon Law (Uphall) 75 Paul Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre). 76 Stephen Gray (Hayston) 77 Colin Gillies (Kingsfield) 78 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 79 David Thomson (Carnegie), Alan Tait (Marriott Dalmahoy). 80 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 82 Kenny Hutton (Downfield) 83 Mark King (Kingsfield) 84 Ronan Rafferty (Roxburghe), Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 86 Fraser Cromarty (Castle Stuart) 87 Judy Rostock (Carnegie), Craig Ronald (Carluke). 89 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle). 101 Jack Bailey (Carnegie) 102 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle). ends