Start of 54-hole event at Irvine Golf Club

John Henry goes clear with a 67 in first round 

of Scottish Alliance Championship
 

John Henry (Clydebank and District) has left the field trailing in his wake by posting a four-under-par 67 in the first round of the 54-hole Scottish Golfers' Alliance championship at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire today.

Henry (pictured) leads by two shots from Challenge Tour player John Duff (Newmachar), one of the most consistent scorers on the North-east Alliance circuit, on which he has already won twice in the first four weeks of the 2016-2017 season.

Henry is four strokes ahead of the pair sharing third place on par 71 - Jim  Johnston (Ayr Belleisle) and Neil Henderson (Renaissance).
Henderson has a good record in Scottish Alliance championships. He was third at Dalmahoy in 2014 and joint third with Greg McBain and John Duff behind winner Kris Nicol and runner-up Duncan Stewart at Duff House Royal 12 months ago.
Said John after his round:
" I played lovely today. Birdies at the fourth, fifth and seventh, all from hitting approaches to within 3ft of the flagstick. Also birdied the 15th and 17th.
"I had a a sore bogey at the last which was my only one! After hitting my tee shot into the right rough , hacked out into a bunker and came out of the trap to about 30ft. My par putt stayed up on the jaws! 

"Looking forward to the next two days' golf."
Mark Kerr, winner of the title over his home course in 2014, was one of the No Returns today in Ayrshire. 
Kris Nicol (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), Scottish Alliance champion 12 months ago at Duff House Royal, is not defending the title. 

SCOTTISH ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Irvine Golf Club

FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 71

67 J Henry (Clydebank)

69 J Duff (Newmachar)

71 J Johnston (Ayr Belleisle), N Henderson (Renaissance)

72 A Culverwell (Dunbar), J Mullaney (Dundonald), S Coyle (Cathkin Braes).

73 M Owenson (Gullane)

74 A Reid (Whitecraigs)
75 A Welsh (Cathkin Braes), A Cameron (Fortrose and Rosemarkie), J Shaw (Boat of Garen), M Pennycott (Royal Burgess), P Brookes (Pitreavie)
76 C Currie (Caldwell), R Neill (Drumpellier), S Lawrie (Paul Lawrie GC).
77 C MacNeil (Prestwick), K McNicoll (Gullane), M McCrory (Cathkin Braes)
78 C Halcrow (Windyhill), J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen), S Finnie (Caledonian
79 G Johnston (Glenbervie), J Smallwood (Irvine), K Duncan (Paul Lawrie GC)
80 N McGarva (Kilmacolm)
81 G Wither (Duddingston), J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen), J White (Harrison), P Bradbury (Kingsknowe), S Gillies (Craigielaw)
82 C Gardner (Cathkin Braes), D J Munro (Kingsknowe), J Kinloch (Cardross), P McLean (Paul Lawrie GC)
83 J K England (Moray)
84 V Brown (Golf Ministries)
85 D Leslie (Bon Accord)
86 D A Fleming (Portlethen), J Fraser (Paisley), P Kinloch (Cardross), W Laing (Prestonfield), W Skene (Deeside)
87 R Davidson (Caledonian)
88 A Forsyth (Drumpellier), A Smith (Turriff), C Cassie (Nigg Bay).
89 B Forsyth (Drumpellier), D Lane (Deeside), D Nelson (Aboyne).
90 R Farquhar (Carnoustie)
91 C Duffus (Royal Aberdeen), P Jeffrey (Duddingston)
93 C Westland (Alloa), P Leggate (Musselburgh)
94 B Lumsden (Northern), L Sutherland (Monifieth), P Cheyne (Northern)
95 M Winton (Caledonian), R Coupar (Boat of Garten)
96 D MacKay (Fort Augustus)
97 J Forrest (Northern), S Allison (Caledonian)
98 R Duncan (Deeside)
101 G Homer (Bon Accord), G Cant (Monifieth), I Cooke (Monifieth)
105 A Douglas (Caird Park).
No Returns: A Cowie (Moray), B Campbell (Dullatur), D Wright (Northern), F Drum (St Meddans), K Thomson (Alloa), M Kerr (Dalmahoy).