SKY-HIGH SCOTT SHARING FIFTH PLACE IN S AFRICA

EWAN SCOTT .... in great form in 2013                  Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Scottish youths champion Ewan Scott from St Andrews is making a flying start to 2013. The sky's the limit the way the 17-year-old Fifer is playing. Currently last year's Scottish boys' order of merit winner is lying joint fifth at the halfway stage of the South African men's amateur stroke-play championship a Oubaai Golf Club.  Scott is on the six-under-par 138 mark alongside world No 5 Brady Watt (Australia) after rounds of 71 and 67.  A team gold-winning member of the Great Britain team at the recent Australian Youth Olympic Festival, Scott had a bag of seven birdies and two bogeys in his second-round halves of 33 (four under) and 34 (one under).  His birdies came at the long fourth, short sixth, long seventh, ninth, short 11th, 15th and short 17th. He dropped his first shot to par at the long 12th and slipped up again at the long 18th - but it was another very good effort by the 17-year-old who was in 14th position at the start of the day. He is three shots off the pace being set by South African Wermer Fereira who has scored 66-69 for nine-under 135 and a one-stroke lead from compatriot Haydn Porteous (69-67). Two more Scots survived the cut at five-over 149.  Fraser McKenna (Balmore) responded to the self-imposed pressure of an opening round of six-over 78 by returning a five-under 67 for 145 and a share of 35th place.Ellon's Adam Dunton is joint 58th with scores of 76-72 for 148.  Three Scots failed to make it. James White (Lundin) sagged from a 73 to a 77 for 150 and, in joint 70th place, missed the cut by one shot.  Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) is still searching for last season's very good form. He totalled 152 with scores of 77 and 75.  Conor O'Neil (Pollok) missed out on 153 with rounds of 78-75.  Downfield's Ross Bell had withdraw before the start of the tournament with a shoulder injury for which he is having treatment.  LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS  Par 144 (2x72)  Players from South Africa unless stated  135 Werner Ferreira 66 69. 136 Haydn Porteous 69 67. 137 Joshua Whyte (Eng) 69 68, Ryan Ruffels (Aus) 66 71. 138 Brady Watt (Aus) 71 67, Ewan Scott (Sco) 71 67, Louis Taylor 66 72.  SELECTED SCORES 141 Chris Selfridge (Ire) 72 69 (T13). 142 Max Orrin (Eng) 70 70, Nicky Grant (Ire) 70 71 (T18). 143 Richard O'Donovan (Ire) 69 74, Harry Diamond (Ire) 71 72, Dermot McElroy (Ire) 74 69, Rory McNamara (Ire) 74 69 (T23). 145 Fraser McKenna (Sco) 78 72 (T35). 146 Toby Tree (Eng) 77 69 (T43). 148 Adam Dunton (Sco) 87 82 (T58).  149 Jamie Rutherford (Eng) 75 74 (T62) MISSED THE CUT (149 and better qualified) 150 James White (Sco) 73 77 (T70). 152 Graeme Robertson (Sco) 77 75 (T78). 153 Conor O'Neil (Sco) 78 75 (T87). =