Clark, Moultrie, Stewart  tied for lead on 70 in the Central Scotland  Seniors Open 

By GORDON THOMSON

Ronnie Clark (Erskine), Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) and Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) are tied for the lead with excellent scores of 70 at the end of the first round in the Central Scotland Seniors Open at Glenbervie

Scoring conditions were very good for most of the day but the late starters, who included Clark, bidding for a hat-trick of wins in this event, encountered heavy rain for the last two hours of play.

Laurie Chancellor (Inverness) is one stroke behind the leaders, followed by four players on 72, including former internationals, George Barrie (Callander) and Ian Brotherston (Dumfries and County) who won the  Scandinavian Seniors Championship in Sweden last week.

With 18 players on 74 or lower, an exciting day’s play is in prospect tomorrow on the highly rated Glenbervie  course which was in fine condition and presented an excellent test for the high quality field.

The  CSS  was 73   for the par 71 course.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES

70 R Stewart (Tulliallan), P Moultrie (Royal Troon), R Clark (Erskine).

71 L Chancellor (Inverness)

72 I Brotherston (Dumfries and Co), G Barrie (Callander), T McLevy (Blairgowrie), G Rees (Fleetwood)

73 W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox), S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen), M Reid (Sonning), I Angus (Duff House Royal), L Blair (Grangemouth)

74 L Gordon (Turnhouse), K Reilly (Silverknowes), R Gray (Troon St Medans), J McDonald (Cowglen), D Hamilton (Mortonhall), I Dickson (Gullane)

75 M Townsley (Dumfries and Co), K Gallacher (East Kilbride), A Ferguson (Dunferline), J S Macdonald (Dunfermline), I Sirel (Largs), L Pirie (Millport), A Hogg (Turnhouse), P Dempsey (Tulliallan), G McNab (Lundin)

76 R Craw (Glenbervie), S Millar (Cochrane Castle), I R Dickson (Lundin), T Stafford (Blairgowrie), G Sharp (Dumfries and Co), G Rodaks (Pitreavie), D Imrie (Turnhouse)  D Shields (Glenearn), C Barrowman (Glasgow)
77 A MacGregor (Hazlehead), B Muir (Dalmahoy), G MacDonald (Glenvervie), K Bruce (Edzell), D Logie (Craigie Hill), D Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie), R Smith (Nairn).
78 D McQuade (Glenbervie), B Humble (Kilspindie), I Taylor (Eyemouth), D Taylor (Dunfermline), G McLeod (Glenbervie), J D Gardner (Broomieknowe), J Johnston (Lanark), T Patterson (Sunningdale), I Gourlay (Strathven), J Archibald (Luffness New), P O'Neill (East Kilbride), S Drysdale (Turnhouse)
79 K McArthur (Balbirnie Park), K Gardiner (Letham Grange), A Smith (Turriff), J Fraser (Royal Burgess), A Harrington (Western Gailes), G Crawford (Williamwood), B Bingham (Royal Troon), M Ferguson (Stirling), J Aman (Grangemouth), A Ross (Northumberland), S Calder (Uphall), D Gillespie (Turnhouse).
80 A Miller (Cochrane Castle), D Millar (St Andrews G Mannering (Bothwell Castle), C Halcrow (Windyhill), K Davidson (Musselburgh), D McLaughlin (Bothwell Castle), J Houston (Greenock).

LEADING NET SCORES
69 R Stewart (Tulliallan) (1)
70 L Chancellor (Inverness) (1), G Barrie (Callander) (2), J S Macdonald (Dunfermline) (5, G Rees (Fleetwood) (2)
71 W Erskine (Kilsyth Lennox) (2), I R Dickson (Lundin) (5), A  Hogg (Turnhouse) (4) 
72 D McQuade (Glenbervie) (6) L Gordon (Turnhouse) (2), S Finnie (Royal Aberdeen) (1), R Gray (Troon St Medans (2), J McDonald (Cowglen) (2), D Hamilton (Mortonhall) (2), T McLevy (Blairgowrie (scr), I Dickson (Gullane) (2), P Dempsey (Tulliallan) (3), L Blair (Grangemouth) (1).
73 A MacGregor (Hazlehead) (4), R Craw (Glenbervie) (3), M Reid (Sonning) (6), M Townseley (Dumfries and Co) (2), I Angus (Duff House Royal) (scr), G Sharp (Dumfries and Co) (3), I Gourlay (Strathaven) (5), T Sirel (Largs) (2), P Moultrie (Royal Troon) (+3), G Rodaks (Pitreavie) (3), P O'Neill (East Kilbride) (5)