Tartan Tour's 36-hole Order of Merit Challenge

Graham Fox leads charge past early leader 

Heather MacRae at Dundonald
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Heather MacRae (Gleneagles) was the early leader with a two-under-par 70 in the first round of the 36-hole Dundonald OOM Challenge but by the end of the day she had been demoted to a share of sixth place in a field of 71.
Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) took over the pole position with a 66, but Heather, who had birdies at three par-5 holes, the third, fifth and 18th, as well as the par-4 12, could still boast that she had the same score as Tartan Tour No 1 Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre).

"It was a fairly stress-free day," said Heather. "I'm just trying to enjoy my golf again.  I thought the course was in great condition and I birdied all the par-5s so that helped."

Fox had seven birdies and one bogey in halves of 31 (five under) and 35 (one under). His only dropped shot came at the 18th hole, a par 5 which cost him a 6.
Earlier he had a run of  five birdies in six holes between the third and the eighth.
Stablemate Paul O'Haara and Pauil McKechnie (Braid Hills) will start the final round one off the pace. McKechnie's 67 was made up of halves of 35 and 32, while O'Hara got rid of his bogeys second and fourth) early in halves of 34-33.
 The two players sharing fifth place on 69, Sam Binning (Mearns Castle) and Greg McBain (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) both had double bogeys. Binning ran up a 5 at the short 15th in halves of 34-35 while McBain had a 7 at the long fifth in halves of 37-32.
FIRST-ROUND SCORES
Par 72 
66 G Fox (Clydeway Golf)
67 P McKechnie (Braid Hills), P O'Hara (Clydeway Golf)
69 S Binning (Mearns Castle), G McBain (Paul Lawrie GC).
70 H MacRae (Gleneagles), C Ronald (Carluke), G Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie GC)
71 S Taylor (Bothwell Castle)
72 C Sutherland (Cherry Lodge), K Hutton (Downfield), G Dingwall (Royal Dornoch), G Wright (West Linton), S Henderson (Kings Links), C Currie (Caldwell). 
73 J Lomas (Caprington), G Paxton (Ralston), C McMaster (Wellsgreen), C Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), G Hay (Nairn Dunbar), S Kerr (Strathaven). 
74 R Dixon (Renaissance), D SWatters (Gourock), N Huguet (Musselburgh), P Walker (Ballumbie Castle).
75 R Rushford (Glenbervie), S McLaren (Blairgowrie), J Fraser (Renaissance), C Gordon (Edinbugh GC), P Malone (Braid Hills), I Brown (Newent), C Kelly (unatt), K Zeynalov (Portlethen)
76 J McCreadie (Largs), G Abson (Carrick on Loch Lomond), A Macdonald (Dunnikier Park), S Costello (Strathaven), L Gaughan (Bathgate), S Gray (Hayston), J McGhee (Bishopbriggs), R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), F Mann (Carnoustie GC), M Hillson (Tandridge), J Porteous (Carrick on Loch Lomond).
77 S Maxwell (Eastwood), M Isaacs (Gamola Golf), L Harper (Flow Golf).
78 G  Brown (Montrose Links), V Brown (LOM), P Robinson (Largs), C Robinson (Portpatrick)
79 C Haugh (Cawder), K McNicoll (Gullane)
80 A Burns (Bothwell Castle), D Orr (Eastwood), R Neill (Drumpellier), J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), C Elliott (Haggs Castle)
81 I Graham (Crow Wood)
82 D Laing (Craigielaw), S Craig (Craig Golf)
83 A Todd (Prestwick)
84 D-R Nicol (Dundonald), E Grimes (Carrick on Loch Lomond). R Buckley (Royal Musselburgh)
86 R Tinker (Piperdam), M Pottinger (American Golf)
87 M Mackenzie (Edzell)
89 T Mitchell (Bridge of Allan)
91 P McKenna (Paul Lawrie GC)