CHRIS ROBB KEEPS HOME FLAG FLYING IN TOP TEN AT SOUTHERNESS

                         Chris Robb in action on his way to winning the NE District Open last summer.
                                                  Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
North-east District Open champion Chris Robb from Banchory gamely kept the home flag flying in the top 10 of the Carrick Neill Scottish men's open amateur stroke-play golf championship at Southerness Golf Club on the shores of the Solway Firth.
Just home at the end of his third year at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, former Scottish schoolboys champion Robb, a member at Northern Open venue Meldrum House, shot a par-matching 69 to be joint fourth among those chasing the leader.
Lincolnshire man Nathan Kimsey (Woodhall Spa) opened up a clear lead with an excellent three-under-par 66, which, astonishingly, included a double bogey 6 at the 12th. He had six birdies in all, coming at regular intervals in halves of 33.
Only three men, by the way, in this star-studded field of 144 players from all points in the compass broke par on the day.
Robb, who won the North-east District championship at Newmachar during his summer holidays from college last year, birdied the first, long fifth, 11th and long 18th but the short holes cost him dearly. He bogeyed three par-3s, the fourth, seventh and 15th, and also dropped a shot at the 13th.
Other Scots among the leading 15 were Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), whose  70 included an eagle 3 at the 18th and Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire County), also on one-over after birdieing the 18th to half a run of bogeys over the closing holes. Veteran John Mathers (Haggs Castle) also did well to return a 70.
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), one of the home favourites, could do no better than a 72, but that was one shot better than the World No 2 from Australia, Brady Watt.
Scottish match-play champion Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), home from San Diego University for the summer, had a 74.
James White (Lundin) had a bad day with a 79 and young Greig Marchank will be wishing he could start again after posting an 81.
Fraser McKenna (Balmore) who has been playing well this season is unlikely to beat the halfway cut after an opening round of 82.
And there on 88 was a name from the past ... Ben Shamash of Kirkcudbright.
Glenn Campbell will remember him because he beat Ben in the final of the Scottish amateur championship over this same Southerness course in 2005. Shamash could play to a high standard then. He took Campbell to the 37th in the final and claimed some very good scalps along the way.

CARRICK NEILL SCOTTISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY  CHAMPIONSHIP
Southerness Golf Club, Solway Firth.
LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES
Par 69
66 N Kimsey (Woodhall Spa).
68 R O'Donovan (Lucan), G Porteous (Bamburgh Castle).
69 P Spraggs (Stowmarket), C Sharvin (Ardglass), H Tomlinson (Royal Lytham), D McElroy (Ballymena), C Robb (Meldrum House), J Smith (Bowood).
70 J Mathers (Haggs Castle), H Porteous (SAf), L Tomlinson (W Lancs), B Kinsley (St Andrews), V Badhwar (Aust), K McClung (Wigtownshire Co), K Gray (Northmberland).
71 N Holman (Woodlands), J Ross (Royal Burgess0, A McDougall
(Elderslie), P Lockwood (Hessle), J McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), C Ross (Kirkhill), G Stevenson (Whitecraigs), C Shinkwin (Moor Park), M Moseley (Carmarthen), M Clark (Kilmacolm), J Storey (Alnmouth).
72 P Kinnear (Formby), G Robertson (Glenbervie), D Keddie (Belton Park), K Holmes (Hunstanton), M Eggenberger (Swi), J Bower (Meltham), T Tree (Worthing), A Dunton (McDonald Ellon), D Brandt-Richards (Aust).
73 O Carr (Heswall), S Crighton (Aberdour), L Bem (Fra), B Watt (Aust), S Dodds (Coventry), B Neil (Blairgowrie), J Dean (Lindrick), D Kay (Dunbar), C MacNeal (Prestwick), S Binning (Ranfurly Castle), J Savage (Cawder), S Borrowman (Dollar).
74 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co), T Watson (SAf), G Forrest
(Craigielaw), S Spence (Irvine), T Sincott (Aust), C Howie (Peebles), E Scott (St Andrews), F Moore (Glenbervie), B Loughrey (Wrag Barn), E Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), M Rocchi (Fra), S Maxwell (Windyhill), J McColl (Scotscraig), C Chalmers (Cawder).

SELECTED SCORES
75 A Sutherland (Ladybank).

76 D Thompsett (Aboyne), J Hendrick (Pollok), S Gibson (Southerness), N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen),E Bradley (Mount Ellen).
77 K Duncan (Cruden Bay), A Blaney (Liberton), M Daily (Erskine).
78 R Bell (Downfield), D Watson (Peterhead), M Smith (Royal Troon), K Godsman (Moray), L Allan (Alva), J Wright (Forres).
79 A Culverwell (Dunbar), C Syme (Dumfries and Co), J White (Lundin), J Duff (Newmachar), J Bunch (Prestwick).
80 D Wilson (Troon Welbeck).
81 G Marchbank (Dumfries and Co), J Rhind (Kingsfield).
82 S Stewart-Cation (The Duke's), F McKenna (Balmore).
84 T Spencer (Meldrum House).
88 B Shamash (Kirkcudbright).

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