Chase for £10,000 prize at Montrose Links

McColl and Gaughan lead Scots challenge at 

Scottish Masters

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Four Scots in the top 10 was not a bad score for the host country at the end of the first day of the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters EuroPro Tour 54-hole tournament over the Montrose Links today.
Englishmen Luke Johnson from King's Lynn set a hot pace with a seven-under-par 64 which included an eagle 3 at the long sixth and seven birdies in halves of 33 and 31. He did bogey the ninth and 16th or he would have had a commanding lead.
The top four places are occupied by Englishmen.
Top Scots are Jordan McColl (Kingsbarns Pro Academy) and Louis Gaughan (Bathgate), joint fifth on five-under-par 66.
McColl had halves of 33 with a bag of six birdies while the improving Gaughan had a bogey-free, five-birdie halves of 34-32.
 The field will be cut to the leading 50 and ties after the second round.



EAGLE ORCHID SCOTTISH MASTERS
Montrose Links
FIRST ROUND
Par 71
64 L Johnson (Eng).
65 M Ramsdale (Eng), M Penney (Eng), G Payne (Eng).

SCOTS' SCORES
66 J McColl, L Gaughan (T5)
67 J Mullaney, P McKechnie (T9)
68 Z Saltman, C O'Neil (T15)
69 J Steven, K McNicoll, E Saltman, N Fenwick, F Moore (T25).
70 E Ramsay, B Neil (T39)
71 S Lawrie, J Hendrick, R Campbell (T61)
72 P Robinson, W Booth,  N Henderson  (T79)
73 M Patterson, G Brown (T102)
74 C Lawrie (T118)
75 S Borrowman, L Saltman, J Henry, F McKenna, K McAlpine (T127)
76 M Stewart (T136)
82 G Duncan (T152)
83 J Duff (155th) 

SUMMARY FROM NICK TEALE

Nottinghamshire golfer shoots seven under opening round for one-shot lead

By NICK TEALE

Luke Johnson leads the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters at Montrose Golf Links by one shot after carding a seven-under-par first round 64.

Mark Ramsdale, Max Penny and Greg Payne share second on six under par after the first 18 on the Medal Course at Montrose, one of the World’s oldest golf courses.

Johnson (King’s Lynn Golf Club) had completed his round before the heavy afternoon rain set in. The weather did force a brief suspension in play as standing water was cleared from greens, and made for a testing round for those in the second half of the draw.

The 24-year-old from Nottinghamshire made a steady start to his tournament with five pars before eagling the 6^th to set the ball rolling. Consecutive birdies followed before a dropped shot at the 9^th, the first of two bogeys with the second to came at 16. Five back-nine birdies included back-to-back threes to finish and he signed for a 64 for the overnight lead.

Payne (Chobham GC / MindSet4Golf) is the Race To Desert Springs Order Of Merit leader with two second-place finishes to his name already this season. He occupies that position again after his unblemished first round at Montrose.

His company in second is Ramsdale (Formby Golf Club), who also made six birdies in his opening round, and Max Penny (Alderley Edge) who recovered from a five at the par-four first to card a 65 consisting of six birdies, and eagle and two bogeys.

The Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters continues with the second round tomorrow, July 6, with a cut to the leading 50 players and ties to be made after 36 holes before Thursday’s final round. The tournament carries a £50,000 prize fund with the winner collecting £10,000.

Spectator entry is free throughout the event and live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com. Highlights from Montrose Golf Links will air on Sky Sports on Tuesday, July 19.