THREE SCOTS IN TOP 20 AT ALPS TOUR OPENER IN EGYPT

Three Scots in the top 20 at the end of the first round of the Red Sea Bay Open at Sokhna Golf Club, Egypt represented an encouraging start to the Alps Tour season. Michael Stewart headed the hit parade with a storming finish for a five-under 67, which will see him start the second round in second place, only one shot behind the Italian pacemaker, Andrea Rota. The former Scottish amateur champion and 2011 Walker Cup player from Troon turned in one-under 35 with birdies at the long third and seventh, and one bogey, at the fifth. Coming home in a bogey-free 33, Stewart covered the last eight holes in four under par with birdies at the 10th, long 13th, long 17th and 18th. Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) from Fraserburgh shared ninth place on 70 after a bogey-bogey start. He covered the remaining holes in four-under-par with birdies at the short fourth, long fifth, 11th and 12th in halves of 35. Ross Kellett from Motherwell is joint 15th on 71 with a five-birdie round dragged down by bogeys at the short fourth, fifth, 11th and long 13th. His birdies came at the long third, long eighth, 12th, 15th and long 17th in halves of 35-36. John Henry (Clydebank and District) is joint 30th on 74 and Ross Cameron (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) is sharing 42nd place on 75 in a field of 78 players. ALPS TOUR - RED SEA BAY OPEN Sokhna Golf Club, Egypt LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES Par 72 (35-37) 66 A Rota (Ita) 67 M Stewart (Sco). 68 E Espana (Fra), L Guanti (Ita) 69 A Cooley (Eng), D B orda (Spa), L Motta (Ita), F Adarraga (Spa). SELECTED SCORES 70 K Nicol (Sco), P Kelly (Eng), J Palmer (Eng) (T9) 71 R Kellett (Sco) (T15). 72 S Brown (Eng), J Clarke (Eng) (T19) 73 R Enoch (Wal) (T22) 74 J Henry (Sco), M Wallace (Eng), T Sherreard (Eng) (T30) 75 R Cameron (Sco), T Shadbolt (Eng) (T42). Field of 78 players.