KILMACOLM PLAYER IS MAN THEY HAVE TO CATCH IN BATTLE TROPHY

BANKER CLARK LANDS TELLING BLOW: Three

CLEAR AT HALFWAY

Kilmacolm banker Matthew Clark is in the driving seat at the halfway stage of the Battle Trophy 72-hole SGU Order of Merit event over the testing Craighead links of Crail Golfing Society.

Clark, a multiple winner of four-round tournaments, shot up from joint ninth after a first-round 73 with a three-under-69 on the second circuit to surge three strokes  clear of the field with a two-under-par tally of 142 for the Saturday session.

His closest challengers on 145 are defending champion Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) who equalled the course record of 68 in the benign conditions enjoyed by the early starters.

The wind gradually got up and made life difficult for most of the players.

The CSS for Round 1 was 76 (four more than par) and for Round 2 it soared to 77 (reductions only).

Robertson took nine more shots in the more difficult afternoon conditions, shooting a 77 for 145.

Also on this mark are Blairgowrie's Scottish boys champion Bradley Neil (70-75) and Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) who had a 76 in the first round but matched leader Clark's 69 in the second round.

Craigmillar Park Open champion Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) will have to play four rounds this week if he is to chalk up another SGU Order of Merit tournament victory. The former British amateur champion is 10 shots off the pace with scores of 77-75 for 152.

Scott Borrowman (Dollar), winner of the Scottish Champion of Champions title at Leven a couple of weekends ago and joint third behind Watson in Edinburgh last Sunday, will need a superhuman effort to add a Battle Trophy win to his CV.

He is on 154 after scores of 76 78.

Those players with aggregates of 158 and better qualified to return for the Sunday action.
One notable name who did not survive was Scottish amateur champion Alexander Culverwell (Stirling University and Dunbar). He shot 78-82 for 160 and missed out by two.

 TOTALS OF 158 AND BETTER

MAKE CUT FOR SUNDAY PLAY

DAVID ROY REPORTS FROM CRAIL

Matthew Clark demonstrated why he is a multiple Order of Merit winner by posting an impressive 69 in the second round of the Battle Trophy to leave him three shots clear at the half way stage. 

The banker from Kilmacolm coped best with the blustery conditions and has given himself a great chance to win an event he has played in ever since it became a 72-hole Order of Merit event. 

Sharing second spot is defending champion Graeme Robertson and the in-form Bradley Neil, along with Grieg Marchbank, the talented young player from Thornhill. 

Marchbank improved his morning score by a highly impressive 7 strokes, with a 69 for his second round.

Craig Watson is not quite out of the running but has much ground to make up, being ten strokes behind on 152, whilst the Champion of Champion, Scott Borrowman is probably out of contention on 154.

The cut mark was 158 and there were a few on that number that were almost disappointed to have to return tomorrow!

Craighead is not the longest course they will play at just over 6,600 but it is a great test for them.

I have to say, they are a pleasure to deal with. Very polite and very grateful for what we do for them.


THIRD ROUND TEE TIMES
07:10
Craig Howie 158
Marker
07:20
Paul Gault Jnr 158
Andrew Davidson 158
07:30
Steven Aitken 157
P H Moultrie 157
07:40
Fraser Carr 157
Campbell Donaldson 157
07:50
Alasdair Simpson 157
Andrew Campbell 155
08:00
David Oldham 155
Craig Ross 155
08:10 
John Duff 155
Greg Forrester 155
08:20 
Jack McDonald 154
Scott Borrowman 154
08:30
C D Hutcheon 154
Malcolm Pennycott  154
08:40 
Alex Moir 153
Connor Syme  153
08:50 
Scott Gibson 153
Benn McLeod  153
09:00 
Ryan Campbell 153
Alasdair McDougall 152
09:10
Ryan White 72 + 80 152
Jordan Shaw 75 + 77 152
09:20 
William Bowe  152
Craig Watson 152
09:30  
Daniel Young  151
Gordon Munro 151
09:40
Fraser Moore 151
Michael Daily 150
09:50 
Jeff Wright 150
Adam Dunton 149
10:00 
Andrew Wilson 148
Nick Macandrew 148
10:10 
Daniel Kay 147
Jamie Savage 147
10:20 
Graeme Robertson 145
Bradley Neil 145
10:30 
Greig Marchbank 145
Matthew Clark 142