Forrest on fire with an evening 66 to lead as

fog puts "Scottish" behind schedule 

 By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Walker Cup player Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) showed his class late in the evening at Gullane with a five-under-par 66 to dislodge Craig Howie (Peebles), the long time clubhouse leader with a 67, in a fog-disrupted opening day at the Scottish men's open amateur stroke-play championship, sponsored by Carrick Neill.
A 2hr 35min suspension of play due to thick fog meant that the first round  will not be completed until Saturday morning even though play was not halted until darkness fell on the Lothians links which Forrest, the 2012 Scottish amateur champion and a multi-winner on the US college circuit, knows so well.
Forrest had an eagle 3 at the lng 12th and birdies at the first, third, seventh, 10th, short 13th, 15th and short 16th, in halves of 35-31.
Howie made his score with an outward half of 31, birdieing the first, third, fourth, sixth and seventh before bogeying the ninth.
After the turn Howie had a sixth birdie at the 12th but cancelled that out with a bogey at the 14th.
Other  Scots who have started well Jeff Wright (Forres), James A Wilson (Balmore) and Sandy Scott (Nairn), all tied seventh on 69.
Scott bogeyed the first but then rattled off birdies at the second, fourth, ninth, 10th and 12th before a weak finish which saw him bogey the long 15th and the short 16th in halves of 33 and 36.
Scots among the players who will have to return to the course early tomorrow morning to complete their first rounds are Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire), George Burns (Williamwood), Jamie Savage (Cawder), Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten), Alan Sutherland (Cupar), Sean Burgess (Nairn) and Fraser Davren (Williamwood).


SCOTTISH MEN'S OPEN AMATEUR STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP
Gullane Golf Club, East Lothian
+2hr 35min suspension of play because of fog; many players
will not finish their rounds until Saturday morning.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
par 71
66 G Forrest (Craigielaw)
67 C Howie (Peebles)
68 W Enefer (Wrekin), C Dann (Aus), O Edwards (Llanwern), P Verlaar (Netherlands), A Wilson (Mold).
69 J A Wilson (Balmore), M Jordan (Royal Liverpool), J Wright (Forres), D Williamson (Aus), S Scott (Nairn), B Collier (Aus), R Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon).
70 B Hutchinson (Howley Hall), J Davies (Celtic Manor), C Syme (Drumoig), R Franssen (Inverness), D Micheluzzi (Aus), J Vaisanen (Fin), T Smith (Aus), C Charmasson (Fra), K Hamilton (Ayr Belleisle), M Clark (Kilmaco)), M Fieldsend (Drayton Park)
71 N Anderson (SAfr), A Gleeson (Castle, Ire), A Davidson (Charleton), A Wilson (Portmarnock), B Hume (Haggs Castle), E McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links), L Johnston (Dumfries and Co), B 
Kedochim (Fra), L Brown (NZ), G Robertson (Glenbervie), E Griffin (Conwy), G Bloor (Cavendish).

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES
72 M Watt (Inverallochy), C Ross (Kirkhill), S Gibson (Southerness) (T42)
73 J Bunch (Prestwick), A Hain (St Andrews) (T50)
74 E McIntosh (Turnhouse) , M Smyth (Royal Troon), C Maclean (T62)
75 C Macneal (Prestwick), E Ferguson (Bearsden), J Stewart (Old Ranfurly), J Rhynd (Kingsfield), D Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle) (T72)
76 S Stewart (Clydebank and Dist) (T90)
77 K Godsman (Moray), D Mitchell (Leven Th), S Robin (Prestwick St Cuthert), D Morrison (Meldrum House), R Wardlaw (Carnoustie Caledonia), W Porter (Carnoustie) (T95)
78 S McLaren (Bruntsfield Links) (107th)
79 L Allan (Alva), C Lamb (Newmachar) (T108).
80 A Fisher (Newmachar), B Kinsley (St Andrews (T111)
81 S Aiken (Leven GS) (T114)
82 E Wood (Crow Wood) (T117)






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