North of Scotland Open Amateur Stroke-play Championship

 It's elementary for Watson - leads North of Scotland Open with a 64 at Lossiemouth
 Cruden Bay's Darren Watson set a cracking pace in the first round of the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship for the David Blair Trophy over the Moray Golf Club's Old Course at Lossiemouth today (Sat)
Watson opened up a two-shot lead in this SGU 72-hole Order of Merit tournament with a seven-under-par round of 64, shaving a stroke off the course record from the blue tees.
He got off to a flying start by birdieing the first, second, third and sixth. A bogey at the seventh did not halt his progress. He birdied the ninth to reach the turn in four-under-par 31.
Watson was finding it all elementary and he boosted his total bag of birdies to eight with gains at the 11th, 15th and 77 for 33 home.
Jim Johnston (Ayr Belleisle) had almost as many birdies as the leader but a couple of bogeys, at the sixth and seventh in halves of 33 dragged him down to second place on 66 at the end of the first round.
Johnston birdied the first, second, eighth, ninth, 12th, 17th and 18th.
Former Scottish amateur champion Barry Hume (Haggs Castle), winner earlier this month of the Leven Gold Medal tournament in Fife, shot a three-under 68 despite a triple bogey 7 at the eighth. He
 had six birdies to compensate.
Home club member Kyle Godsman, who won the previous weekend's North-east District Open at Cruden Bay and who lost a play-off for the North of Scotland Open 12 months ago, had a steady 70 to start with, halves of 32-38. A double bogey 6 at the 12th kept him from breakng 70.


NORTH OF SCOTLAND OPEN AMATEUR STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
FIRST ROUND
Par 71  Old Course
64 D Watson (Cruden Bay)
66 J Johnston (Ayr Belleisle)
67 A J Sutherland (Cupar)
68 B J Hume (Haggs Castle)
69 J Savage (Cawder), R Gill (Tantallon), J A Wilson (Balmore), G Munro (Fraserburgh)
70 B R Fotheringham (Inverness), C Syme (Drumoig), J Wright (Forres), S Scott (Nairn), K Godsman (Moray), T Beasley (Hunstanton), A Carrick (Douglas Park)
71 E J Forbes (Inverness), F Davren (Williamwood)
72 A Culverwell (Dunbar), R Franssen (Inverness), H Tomlinson (Royal Lytham), S Roger (Cruden Bay), L Smart (Banchory), J Sangster (Thurso)
73 A Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle), R A Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), M Clark (Kilmacolm), C Maclean (Balmore).
74 J Forbes (Inverness), D Joel (Inverness), R Campbell (Falkirk), C Stewart (Metropolitan), L Johnston (Dumfries and Co).
75 M Pennycott (Whiting Bay, Arran), D Thorburn (Tain), Z Wood (Nigg Bay), J Keith (Inverness)
76 S Green (Meldrum House), J Shaw (Boat of Garten), R J Smith (Marriott Dalmahoy), D Hexley (Golspie), C Franssen (Inverness), C Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy), S Buchanan (Prestwick St Nicholas), D Buchan (Peterhead)
77 G Watt (Inverallochy), G Murray (Moray), A Hepburn (Fraserburgh), C Lamb (Newmachar)
78 S Jamieson (Nigg Bay), P Sangster (Thurso), M Macleman (Moray), B Henderson (Deeside), C Chalmers (Cawder), , S Rendall (Orkney).
79 M Watt (Inverallochy), J Harling (Banchory)
80 M Schinkel (Orkney), J Pryde (Deeside), C Stewart (Murcar Links)
81 L Reid (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen), A Moir (Elgin), N Young (Insch)
83 L Michel (Metropolitan), C Grant (Portlethen), J Mackintosh (Nairn)
84 W Middler (Peterhead), E Barras (Loch Ness)
85 J Ross (Fraserburgh)
86 K Willox (Deeside), 
DQ J Hall (Deeside)