TIED FOR NE ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER 65s AT BUCKPOOL

LAWRIE v HUTCHEON IN CLASH OF THE 

SCOTTISH TITANS AT PORTLETHEN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

The stage is set for a clash of the Scottish golfing Titans in the second and final round of the North-east Alliance championship at Portlethen Golf Club next Wednesday.

At the end of today's first 18 holes of a beautiful sunny, windless day at Buckpool on the Moray Firth coastline, Paul Lawrie of European Tour fame and Greig  Hutcheon, Tartan Tour leading money and Order of Merit winner last year, were tied for the lead on five-under-par 65.

"That was my first competitive round since the European Tour event at Dubai a few weeks ago so I am pretty pleased with it," said Lawrie who is skipping this weekend's Tour event in Morocco to support the Dons in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday.
"It hit it very well and kept it in play very well, considering I had not played 18 holes since the Dubai Desert Classic and I have been struggling with sore back and neck.
"So, all in all, I was very happy how I played. What a beautiful day and it is always nice to play at Buckpool." 
Paul later revealed:
"Only had eight clubs in the bag today and it was great fun manufacturing shots when in between clubs.
"Did I forget the others? Hahahahahahaha!

Only took eight on purpose. I  do that now and again. It's good for feel. Today I had in my bag .. driver, rescue, putter , four-iron, 68 degree wedge. pitching wedge and lob wedge."

Paul's playing attachment, by the way, is the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle, not the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre as wrongly attributed to him in an earlier report.

Buckpool conjures up great memories for Paul. He had a 10 at one hole and still won the Alliance event at this venue in 1999 ... and that year, of course, he went on to win the Open at Carnoustie.

Lawrie, who cut his competitive teeth on the NE Alliance circuit as a PGA assistant at Banchory, won the championship in 1989 and 1991.

Hutcheon has never won it although he came pretty close 12 months ago when he and John

Duff had the lowest 36-hole aggregate and the Newmachar amateur was declared the title winner with the better second round.

Ironically, Hutcheon left his Banchory Golf Club tour attachment to play out of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre only a few weeks ago.

"I'll have to watch what I am doing in the second round," quipped Greig. "Beating the boss is not good for one's career prospects!"
Hutch was hitting it vast distances off the tee. For instance, he drove the green at the 308yd par-5 12th and had an eagle 2 chance but had to be content with a two-putt birdie.
Greig also got home in two with two good hits at the 17th (529yd) for another two-putt birdie.

Hutcheon and Lawrie led by two shots from two more from the Paul Lawrie "stable" David Law and Jordan Findlay, both 67, but they will be absent from the Portlethen field next Wednesday when they will be in Egypt for a couple of German PGA developmental tour events.

That means that Meldrum House +1 amateur Greg Watson, whose 68 included the best inward half of the day, 31, will be in third place, three off the pace, when he tees it up in the second round.
Said David Law: "I played solid from tee to green. It was a joy to play on a course as good as Buckpool on a day which was perfect for golf. Yes we all leave on Saturday for Egypt so that's another alliance season finished for us."

The only other player to break 70 at Buckpool was Insch prospect Neil Young who had a 69.

Defending champion Duff had a 71.
There is no "leading lady" prize in NE Alliance events but a pat on the back for former Scottish women's amateur champion Laura Murray who came home in 32 today for a 70. 

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HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1 - N Young (Insch) (1) 68; C Grant (Portlethen) (scr) 69; R MacRae (Auchmill) (9) (bih), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (9), B Nicolson (Auchmill) (1) 70.

Class 2 - P Cornfield (Auchmill) (13) 68; G Leslie (Newburgh) (10) (bih), M Winton (Caledonian) (11) 69; J Scott (Peterculter) (10) (bih), G Thom (Murcar Links) (10) 71.

LEADING SCORECARDS
Par: OUT - 445 443 435: 35 
           IN - 444 343 544: 35

GREIG HUTCHEON 65
OUT: 444 443 433: 33 
   IN: 433 344 434: 32

PAUL LAWRIE 65
OUT: 344 443 443: 33
   IN: 433 343 444: 32

DAVID LAW 67
OUT: 444 443 334: 33
   IN: 434 443 453: 34

JORDAN FINDLAY 67
OUT: 344 453 434: 34
    IN: 433 343 544: 33

GREG WATSON 68
OUT: 445 544 434: 37
   IN: 533 233 444: 31

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