Hot putter helps Denmark's Anders    into McGregor Trophy lead Denmark’s Anders Ejlersen shot four-under par 68 at Wallasey Golf Club in Cheshireto take the first- round lead in the McGregor Trophy.  He leads by one in the English U16 boys’ open championshipfrom the English trio of Jake Benson (Beeston Fields), Charlie Strickland (Ham Manor) and Alex Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) (Image © Leaderboard Photography).  Meanwhile, Ireland’s Thomas Mulligan and Lukas Demant of Germany scored two-under 70 and five player returned one-under 71. They included Alex Talbot (Bramshaw), Barclay Brown (Hallamshire) and Nicholas Elmey (Frilford Heath). “My putter was super-hot,” declared Ejlersen, 16. “I think I had 26 putts and I holed from 20m on the last. It was a nice way to finish. “I’m very pleased and I couldn’t have done any better. It’s a perfect start.”  Benson and Fitzpatrick both played extremely tidy golf, with just one bogey apiece.  Strickland’s round was a little more up and down and included an eagle three on the 14th.  Eljersen will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his countryman, John Axelsen, who won the McGregor Trophy last year.  But he faces a strong challenge from the tightly bunched international field. A total of 22 players, including competitors from Spain and Germany, completed the first round in par or better on a day of excellent scoring conditions.   After Wednesday's second round the field will be cut to the leading 40 players and ties who play 36 holes on the final day, Thursday, July 16. Click here for full scores -- Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193 Not a good day for the Scots at McGregor  Trophy, Howie best with a 74 and T32 PLF Scottish schoolboys champion Darren Howie (Peebles) was the leading Scot at the end of the first day of the English Under-16 boys' open stroke-play championship for the McGregor Trophy at Wallasey Golf Club, Merseyside. But Howie's two-over-par round of 74 left him six shots behind leader Anders Ejlersen (Denmark) and in joint 32nd place. It was not a good day for the Scots. Callum Burns (Balmore) and Andrew Moir (Elgin) were joint 66th on the 76 mark while Keith Bowman (St Andrews New) and Euan Munro (Reay) were joint 70th on 77. Calvin Dufftown (Aboyne) had a 78 for a share of 99th place and Kyle Reid's 79 left him in joint 108th place. John Robertson (St Andrews New) shot an 80 for a share of 116th place and Jamie Stewart (Old Ranfurly), who will soon be representing Scotland in the European Masters, could do no better than an 81 for joint 127th place in a field of 144 players.