Craig Ross clickety-clicks in African stroke-play:

66 puts him in joint second place after first round

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Craig Ross spearheaded the nine-strong Scottish challenge in the African men's amateur stroke-play championship with a six-under-par 66 at Leopard Creek Golf Club.

That put the Kirkhill man, pictured, in joint second place, alongside England's Jamie Bower, a shot behind the South African leader Albert Venter who had a seven-birdie inward half of 30 for a 65.

Ross had and eagle 2 at the 292yd sixth and birdies at the long second, short fifth, long 13th, 14th and long 18th in halves of 32 (three under) and 34 (three under).

Jamie Savage was another Scot in the top 10 at the end of the first day. He shot a 71 (34-37) for joint 10th place.

Jack McDonald and Connor Syme are sharing 24th place on 73.

Calum Fyfe had a 75 for joint 42nd place and Sandy Scott a 76 for tied 47th place.

Big names Bob MacIntyre, the left-handed Scottish champion from Oban, and former Scottish title-holder Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) surprisingly struggled to return five-over-par 77s.

In fact MacIntyre got an eagle 3 at the 18th for 40 home and Forrest had an eagle 2 at the first hole before requiring 42 blows for the second nine.

Scott Gibson did even worse. He had a quadruple bogey 8 at the 10th and a triple bogey 8 at the 15 in taking 48 shots to cover the inwared nine. He finished with an 86 to be tied 83rd in a field of 88 players.

AFRICAN MEN'S AMATEUR STROKE-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Leopard Creek Golf Club.

LEADING FIRST-ROUND SCORES

65 A Venter (SAf).

66 C Ross (Sco), J Bower (Eng)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

71 J Savage (T10)

73 J McDonald, C Syme (T24)

75 C Fyfe (T42).

76 S Scott (T47)

77 B MacIntyre, G Forrest (T52)

86 S Gibson (T83)