St Andrews Links Trophy

McDonald and Syme sharing second place 
behind Stirling student Sharvin

Three Scots in the top 10 - Jack McDonald, Connor Syme and Greig Marchbank - of a very strong field of 144 represented a fairly good start for the host country to the St Andrews Links Trophy which started today with the first of two rounds over the par-72 Jubilee Course.
Stirling student and former Irish amateur champion Connor Sharvin (22) leads the way with an excellent round of 65 but he is only one shot ahead of McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) and Syme (Drumoig).
 Said Sharvin:

“The putter was really hot over the front nine and the longest putt I had was six foot.

“The back nine was a real grind with my only birdie at 11.

“At the 15th I got a flyer out of the left rough that flew the green However, from practically no shot, I then played a flop shot to 20-feet and holed that, so that kept the momentum going.

“Overall, to shoot a 65 is very pleasing and it’s a great to keep my good run of form going.”

MacDonald (22) has just finished his degree in pure mathematics at Stirling  He was out in 31, 5 under, including a tee shot to within one inch of the flagstick at the 162yd par-3 fifth

Said Jack: "Played really well but the wind picked up on the back nine.......was studying hard all year so couldn't go to South Africa....I think I'll stay amateur for the next year and concentrate on golf......hope to make the six-man Scotland team for the Europeans.

Connor Syme, right in the picture with a 66, is a 19-year-old

 based at Drumoig Golf Centre where his father is the owner/professional at the driving range and the currrent Scottish PGA captain

Said Connor: "I played solid and was always in position. I wasn't in the team last year so that is my objective this year. Athough I work for my father at Drumoig, I get to play a lot of golf.

"After going out in 33, got to 6 under with  birdies at 11 and 12.

"Had a great up and down at 13 and then birdied 14 but blocked it off the 15th tee and bogeyed.2

Defending champion Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) had a steady 72 opener but so high is the class of competitor that was good enough to give him only a share of 38th place.
It looks like the halfway cut will be very low on Saturday evening.
The bad news for Scotland was the clutch of high profile players down among the dead men on the three-over 75 mark - Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), winner of two 72-hole tournaments this season, Walker Cup team candidate Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) and Calum Fyfe (Cawder). They are tied for 98th place

ST ANDREWS LINKS TROPHY
Jubilee Course for first two rounds
FIRST ROUND LEADERS
par 72
65 Connor Sharvin (Ireland)
66 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), Connor Syme (Drumoig)
67 John-Ross Galbraith (Ireland)
68 Mario Galiano (Spain)
69 Michele Cea (Ita), Richard Mansell (Beau Desert), Paul Kinnear (Formby), Cedric Van Wassenhove (Belg), Greig Marchbank (Thornhill).

SELECTED SCORES
70 Craig Howie (Peebles), Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co), Jack Hume (Ire), Dermot McElroy (Ire), Nick Marsh (Huddersfield), Richard James (Aberystwyth) (T11)
71 Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), Daniel Young (Craigie Hill)
72 Robert McIntyre (Glencrutten), Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), Craig Ross (Kirkhill), Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park), Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park), Luke Johnson (Kings Lynn), Tomacz Anderson (Brocket Hall) (T38), 
73 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), Alastair McDougall (Elderslie) (T62)
74 Lawrence Allan (Alva), Jamie Savage (Cawder) (T82)
75 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), Calum Fyfe (Cawder) (T98)
76 Scott Gibson (Southerness) (T109)
78 Calum Hill (Tantallon) (T128)




TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE