BANCHORY MAN MAINTAINS LAST WEEK'S GOOD FORM

CORMACK LEADS TARTAN ARMY IN CHASE

FOR PLACES ON PGA EUROPR0 TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Banchory man Paul Cormack, who has been playing the satellite tours in America for
several years, has returned to Britain in time to lead the 31 Scots after the first round of the PGA EuroPro Tour Final Qualifying School at Frilford Heath Golf Club, Oxfordshire.
A former North-east Alliance champion, Cormack, playing out of Inchmarlo Golf Club, Banchory, shot a bogey-free, five-under-par 67 over the Blue Course to be lying joint third in the massive field of 240.
It was a continuation the good form Cormack showed last week to be one of the leading qualifiers from Stage 1 of the EuroPro Tour Q School.
The leading 80 and ties after the second round will go forward to Friday's third and final round.
At the end of the opening 18 holes, there are 103 players with scores of 72 or better, of whom 31 were on the 72 mark.
That indicates how tough it is going to be survive the second round.
Apart from Cormack, who birdied the second, fourth, sixth, 12th and 13th, the only
Scots within the "safety mark" at the moment are Paul Robinson (Largs) on 69, Aberdour amateur Scott Crichton, Chris Currie (Caldwell) and Carnoustie's Eric Ramsay on 70,
Graham Rankin (Drumpellier), Craig Lawrie (Paul Lawrie (GC), John Hendry (Clydebank and Dist), Jordan McColl (Scotscraig), Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC) on 71 and Greg McBain (Kemnay) on 72.
Even an experienced campaigner like Motherwell's Ross Kellett will have to "find" a stroke or two in the second round to cope with the pressure and step over the cut-off point. He and Ellon's Ross Cameron, former Walker Cup player Graham Rankin (Drumpellier), Neil Henderson (Renaissance Club), Mark Hillson (Tandridge) and Graham Guthrie (unattached) are tied 104th on 73.
Those with the proverbial mountain to climb include Fraser McKenna (Balmore) on 76 and former British boys champion Jordan Findlay (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) plus Downfield's Ross Bell, both on 77. 
NOTES FROM SCORECARDS
Craig Lawrie finished with a 71 after bogeys at the first and long fourth had seemed ominous. Paul's elder son clawed his way out of his doldrums with birdies at the short sixth, 11th, 12th and long 15th in halves of 33.
Greg McBain, now playing out of Kemnay, finished on 72 after the same kind of potentially demoralising start as young Lawrie with bogeys at the third and fifth. McBain borided the long 10th, short 11th, stuttered again with bogeys at the 12th and 13th, before picking up the momentum again with birdies at the 14th and 18th.
Graeme Brown had a disappointing 75 with a five-hole span around the turn costing him four shots. The Montrose man bogeyed the sixth and th eighth and then had a double bogey 7 at the long 10th. His only birdie came late - at the 17th.
Amateur Scott Crichton had a great start on his way to a 70. He birdied the second, third, fourth, fifth and ninth. Bogeys came at the seventh, 10th and 18th.
Paul Robinson's 69 might well have been a 67 because had had a double bogey 7 at the 17th after at tremendous six-under-par run from the long fourth to the long 15th. After a bogey at the short third, Paul birdied the fourth, fifth, eighht, 10th, 13th and 15th.
Kris Nicol salvaged a 71 after bogeys at the third and seventh. He birdied the 11th, 12th and long 15th to get under par for the day.
Jordan Findlay had five bogeys over his last 10 holes and finished with a 77. He started with a double bogey 6 but birdied the second. A bogey at the fourth was followed by a birdie at the long sixth. Then came his bad run - bogeys at the ninth,1 2th, 13th and 15th, then a birdie at 16th, only to bogey the 17th.
Chris Currie returned a 70 after being four under par as early at the sixth tee. He birdied the short third, got an eagle 3 at the long fourth and then a birdie 3 at the fifth. Looking set for a score in the 60s, the Caldwell tour pro covered the last nine holes in two over par with bogeys at the 11th and long 15th.
Eric Ramsay turned the clock back to his vintage years with a 70 which had birdies at the fourth, 10th and 15th with only one bogey, at the ninth.
John Henry probably had more birdies than anyone in the field - seven in total - but the Clydebank and District men also had six bogeys, adding up to a one-under 71
Jordan McColl also had a 71 of which the highlight was an eagle 3 at the long sixth. He had birdies at two other long holes, the second and 10th but was dragged down by bogeys at the third, ninth and 12th.
Ross Kellett started well and finished well but the middle of the "sandwich" was not so tasty. He had a 73 which included birdies at the second, eighth, 15th and 16th. The downside@ A double bogey 6 at the 12th and bogeys at the fourth, 11th and 13th.


scroll down to view the first-round scores at
Frilford Heath