Links to opening match-play results in British boys championship

Muirfield

CLICK HERE

Three share lead at nine-under-par in EuroPro Tour event

NEWS RELEASE BY NICK TEALE

Richard James, Haydn McCullen and Nick Cunningham share the nine-under-par lead ahead of the final round of the pentahotels Championship at Caversham Heath Golf Club in Reading.

 

James (Aberdovey Golf Club) won the Lookers Championship at Close House a fortnight ago and after a week off the recharged Welshman has carded rounds of 70 and 67 on the par-73 course. He came close to equalling the course record eight-under-par in his second round on Thursday but bogeys on the last two holes restricted his tournament score to nine under.

 

McCullen (Delamere Forest) was a winner on the EuroPro Tour last season, and fresh from his first top ten of the season at Army Golf Club has carded rounds of 68 and 69 for his share of the one-shot lead.

 

Cunningham (Bedford and County Golf Club) shot a six-under-par second round with birdies on his last two holes to join the leaders on nine under. He had a golden opportunity to land a win at Montrose last month but despite starting just one off the lead eventually finished 12 behind winner Billy Hemstock and will be looking to prove he has learnt from that experience.

 

Mark Laskey (Brocket Hall/Team Honma; 70, 68) and Ashley Mason (Glen Gorse; 71, 67) share fourth on eight under with Alex Wrigley (Hartlepool Golf Club; 67, 72) two off the lead in sixth.

 

After his round, co-leader McCullen said: “I played solid golf, my game plan has been fairways and greens and see what I can do on the greens. The course rewards good shots and punishes bad ones; if you hit one a fair bit off it is difficult.

 

“Tomorrow I will go out with the same game plan as the last two days; fairways and greens and try and keep holing the putts.

 

“The experience of winning last year will help but it is a different day, a different year, so I will have to go out and take it as it comes. The goal this season is top five, that is the big aim for the year.”

 

A cut to the leading 50 players and ties has now been made with all those one over par or better proceeding to play Friday’s final round.

 

Spectator entry is free throughout the event and live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com. Highlights of the pentahotels Championship will be shown on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 23.

SCOTS' SCORES 

par 146 (2x73)

140 F Moore (Glenbervie) 71 69 (T7)

144 J Henry (Clydebank and Dist) 75 69 (T21)

146 Z Saltman (Archerfield) 74 72 (T31)

147 W Booth (Eastwood) 77 70 (T42)

MISSED THE CUT (147 and better qualified)

148 N Fenwick 74 74

149 P McKechnie 75 74, C Macaulay 73 76, S Lawrie 75 75

151 K Nicol 73 78, E Saltman 72 79

153 C Lawrie 73 80

154 N Henderson 76 78

155 L Saltman 76 79, C O'Neil 78 77

156 J Duff 82 74, J McColl 77 79

159 R Campbell 79 80

 

Waugh lone Scot in Eden Trophy semi-finals

Douglas Waugh (Baberton) is the only Scot in tomorrow (Fri) morning's semi-finals of the Eden Trophy tournament at St Andrews.
Waugh will tee it up against Samuel Henfrey (Northamptonshire) at 7.30am while Geoff Nixon (Carlisle) will play Matthew Hogg (Rushcliffe) in the second semi-final at 7.40

Today's results:
THIRD ROUND
R Storey (Woodhall) bt L Reed (Ealing) 2 holes.
S Henfrey (Northamptonshire) bt C Harrison (Sandiway) 2 and 1
D Waugh (Baberton) bt B Aldeberg (USA) 5 and 4.
I Yule (Thetford) bt G Walker (Deane) 4 and 3.
D McCoy (Houldsworth) bt K Murphy (Ire) 4 and 2.
G Nxon (Carlisle) bt M Saunders (Gullane) 3 and 1.
M Hogg (Rushcliffe) bt D Thomson (Glencorse) at 19th.
A Collman (West Herts) bt R James (Nuneaton) 3 and 2.

QUARTER-FINALS
Henfrey bt Storey 2 and 1
Waugh bt Yule 5 and 4.
Nixon bt McCoy 3 and 1.
Hogg bt Collman at 19th.

Men's Home Internationals Day 2 at Nairn

 Ireland dazzle Scots in singles, win 8.5-6.5

FROM SCOTTISH GOLF 

Day 2 Report: Fairstone Men’s Home Internationals

Defending champions Ireland will face England in a winner-takes-all final day meeting at the Fairstone Men’s Home Internationals, as Scotland’s hopes slumped in the afternoon singles.
On a wet and wild day in the Highlands, Irish eyes were smiling as they achieved a stirring comeback against the Scots to keep alive hopes of a third straight title.
The hosts had responded from their opening day defeat to England to claim a commanding 4 – 1 advantage over the Irish at The Nairn Golf Club.
But the Scots were blown away in the afternoon winds as Ireland produced a dazzling singles performance to win 8.5 – 6.5, with the home side only claiming two-and-a-half points from the 10 matches post lunch.
Stuart Grehan and Alex Gleeson set the tone at the top of the order with comfortable wins, with Robin Dawson also dispatching Scottish Amateur champion George Duncan 5 and 3.
Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson offered hope of a comeback, battling back from three down after nine holes to fire five back nine birdies and beat Paul McBride on the 18^th, while Craig Ross from Kirkhill achieved a battling half.
But home hopes were as shortlived as the brief improvement in weather, as John Ross Galbraith sealed victory after edging out local member Sandy Scott at the last.
Galbraith, 22, said: “It was an unbelievable turnaround, we never really got down about the foursomes. It was some performance to do it, though.”
England, meanwhile, were always in control as they thumped Wales 11.5 – 3.5 to top the table after day two.

TO VIEW THE DAY 2 RESULTS

CLICK HERE

Ed Hodge

PR and Media Manager

 Fife GA team for Scottish men's area team championship at Dalmahoy GC on September 2-4

Bill Dickson
Fife GA
Team Captain

PLAYER'S NAME		CLUB
CONNOR SYME		DRUMOIG GC
DAVID MITCHELL		LEVEN TH GC
ANDY DAVIDSON		CHARLETON GC
ALLY HAIN		ST ANDREWS GC
GREG FORRESTER		LUNDIN GC
RYAN WALSH		KIRKCALDY GC

 North golf news round-up

FROM ROBIN WILSON

Scottish Senior Tour player Laurie Chancellor enjoyed his home comforts to successfully defend the Macrae and Dick (Toyota) Inverness 36 hole open tournament trophy.

The win brought his local successes in the 36 hole event up to four over the long number of years, now aged 59, that he has been a member at Culcabock.

The event was the penultimate stroke-play fixture on the North District's Order of Merit Tour and on completion of the first round the two players who are fighting for domination in the points table, John Forbes (ex Inverness) and now Club Secretary at Muir of Ord and Bryan Fotheringham (Forres)  shared first round par cards of 69. Chancellor was two back beside the Inverness four-day winner Keiran MacKay with 71s to set up a close finish.

Fotheringham returned a second round 71and MacKay a 74 but with a level par second round 69 Chancellor went level with Fotheringham on 140 and on the better second round was declared the winner.

Forbes finished in fourth place but did not earn any Order of Merit merit points as his current cumulative total of 555, compiled from his best six all better the points he earned for fourth place at Inverness.

Fotheringham shared 190 points with Chancellor and the Forres member's 95 now brings his total up to 530 and just 25 behind Forbes. Fotheringham with two first place wins earning him 100 points each and three second place points in the nineties his worst in his top six total is 55points so Forbes could easily be caught and maybe overtaken when they both line up at the same venue next weekend in the North of Scotland Open 72 hole open championship.

Kieran MacKay with his 75 points from Saturday's event improved his merit position from seventh to fourth (260 pts) but the three ahead of him are, Forbes (555) B Fotheringham (530) and Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) (260). The player below MacKay is David Joel (Inverness) (255) and these three have reached the last four of the North Match-Play championship where more points are still up for grabs.

The Quarter-final results were

 Fraser Fotheringham (The Nairn) beat Malcolm MacLemman (Moray)
 Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) beat Chris Gaittens (Fortrose and  Rosemarkie)
John Forbes (Muir of Ord) beat Kevin Thomson (Moray)
 David Joel (Inverness) beat Jake Scott (Moray).

Inverness Results 

(Morning CSS 70; Afternoon CSS 70)
 MacRae and Dick Toyota 36 Hole Open
 Scratch – L. Chancellor (71, 69) B. Fotheringham (Forres) (69, 71) 140; K. Mackay (71, 74), J. Forbes (69, 76) 145; E. Chancellor (74, 74) 148
 Handicap – M. Lyall (Tor) (65, 70) 135; E. Cuthbert (70, 67) 137; G. Bennet (73, 68), A. Philip (71, 70) 141;  G. Forsyth (73, 69) 142.

A losing finalist last month in his home club's four-day open David Joel in consecutive seasons has made and lost in the final of the Brora Four-Day competition and that is the result he came away with last week at the Sutherland course.

 The Brora Clynelish Salver should have been there for the lifting after the Inverness member led the qualifiers and won the W J Henderson medal with cards of 71 and 69. On his side also was a match-play draw that included only one previous winner Iain Powell (Murcar Links) and without last year's winner, local member Roddie Cameron.

When Powell was surprisingly beaten by his nephew Ross Powell from Deeside in the second round and Joel ousted his other big challenge, English Open Mid Amateur Champion, Dane Jorg Paulus, in the semi final Joel was looked up to end his Brora drought.

But he could not find an answer to the dogged determination of local member Liam MacDonald – MacLeod who had ended a domination by local Green Keeper, James MacBeath and Skibo Green Keeper Chris Mailley of the Brora Club Championship two weeks earlier.

Joel from a birdie on the sixteenth green took a one hole lead to the final par three tee from where he played a superb iron to within 15 feet of the pin. MacLeod a much greater distance away but he raced his life saving putt into the hole for birdie two and into extra holes.

The Inverness golfer came within two inches of a winning eagle at the 19^th and then missed a winning putt at the 20^th before both players missed the third green but it was MacLeod who got his chip and putt par four to win.

MacDonald Haulage Contractors Tain Golf Week.

A bond of golfing visitors and locals that was formed into a group in the sixties that became known as “The Stotters” because of more hours spent in the clubhouse than on the golf course! celebrated their fiftieth anniversary at Tain Golf Club last week with celebrations hosted by their present Captain, John Houston of Hilton Park.

 The group that emerged after Houston's father won the Tournament in 1960 had three generations of Stotter's families, all sporting their yellow 50th anniversary tops, witness their present Captain mark up a hatrick of Golf Week final successes.

In 2014 the Hilton Park member followed his father's name onto the scratch McVitie and Price Cup with a win in the final over local Munro Ferries. A return in 2015 saw his nett scores take him into the handicap section for the Munro Rose Bowl beating local Gus Gurney on the last green.

The Stotter's 50th birthday party in the Duthac Centre took a bit longer to recover from but Houston ended up in the Stirling Cup section to make his and his Stotters very happy with a 17^th green over local Billy Duff.

The usual scenario happened in the scratch section, when last Saturday's 36 hole winner and leading qualifier Lyle McAlpine, in the MacDonald Haulage Contractors 4-day tournament went out in the first round. He was joined on the sidelines in round two by the McVitie and Price Cup holder Keiran Mackay and former winner David Pearson (Royal Dornoch) to guarantee by the end of the week a new winner.

Alan Everett had lost last year's final to Keiran MacKay and on his third appearance in the final he was up against Fortrose and Rosemarkie's Euan Gill. Dingwall born Gill (18) has just completed his first college year at Akron University, Ohio and he cruised past Pearson in the quarter-finals and visitor Tom Lloyd (Addington) in the semi final. Everett responded with an eagle and three birdies on the back nine to beat club mate Dean O'Brien on the last green of his semi-final.

In the final both were out in one over par 36 and level but it was on the back nine that Everett pulled away. He won the first three inward holes with pars and when Gill had to play out sideways to the 15^th fairway Everett secured his first McVitie and Price Cup success by 4&3.

Gus Gurney was back in the final of the Munro Rose Bowl but with only a handicap difference of one stroke teenage member Daryn Jack (19) played a strong final nine holes to win four and three. In the final of the Brookes Cup Junior member Calum MacDougal (17) triumphed over the local Chinese Take-Away proprietor, Jonathan Au.  Au lost a ball at the 14^th hole leaving Calum to win on the next green.

At the beginning of the week the Dornoch Jail sponsored a Lady's 2-Day Stableford competition for The Flower Shop Trophy. The winner was Marie -Louise Pind from Sollered GC Denmark with 72 points and in second place winning the Mary Haden Trophy with 67 points was Hilary Scott (Dalmahoy).

McVitie and Price Results;

Semi finals – E Gill (F and R) beat T Lloyd (Addington) 4 and 2. A Everett (Tain) beat D O'Brien (Tain) 1 hole. Final Everett beat Gill 4 and 3. 

Stirling Cup

 Semis – J Houston (Hilton Park) (6)  beat A Pater (Pannal) ((7) 2 and  1. B Duff (Tain) (10) beat D J MacKay (Tain) (7)  6 and 4. 

Final Houston beat Duff 2 and 1. 

 Munro Rose Bowl

 Semis - G Gurney (Tain) (8) beat G Ross (Tain) (9) I hole. D Jack (Tain) (9) beat D Ross (Tain (7) 4 and 3.

 Final Jack beat Gurney 4 and 3.

 Brookes Cup –

Semis, C MacDougall (Tain) (19) beat R Hudson (Tain) (11) 5 and 4. J Au (Tain) (15) beat R Urquhart (Tain) (17) 7  and  6. 

Final MacDougall beat Au 4  and 3.  

British boys' chamionship at Muirfield and Renaissance Club

  Norwegian Reitan leads qualifiers

 for match-play stages

NEWS RELEASE FROM R and A

 Kristoffer Reitan led the qualifiers after the second round of stroke play at The 90^th Boys Amateur Championship at Muirfield and Renaissance Club.

The Norwegian followed up yesterday’s round of 67 at Renaissance Club with a one-under-par round of 70 at Muirfield to top the leaderboard on a five-under-par total of 137.

Two birdies on the front nine were followed by a long series of pars until the final hole, where he dropped a shot with a bogey five.

The lowest round of the day came from Harry Goddard, who shot a superb 65 at Renaissance Club to move up the leaderboard and finish on four-under-par in a tie for second place with Markus Braadlie of Norway.

The Hanbury Manor member, who was part of the winning England team at the Boys Home Internationals at Ballyliffin (Glashedy Links) last week, carded six birdies and an eagle at the par five 16th to become  the leading qualifier from Great Britain and Ireland.

Braadlie held the outright lead following birdies on the 5^th, 9^th and 11^th holes at Muirfield but four dropped shots, including a double bogey on the par-5 17^th, meant that he finished one shot behind his compatriot Reitan after recording a one-over-par round of 72.

Defending champion Marcus Svensson produced a steady round of 70 at Muirfield to settle for a three-under-par total of 139 and is tied for fourth place with India’s Rayhan John Thomas, who found the going tough today in posting a three-over-par round of 74 at Muirfield.

Edgar Catherine was the top performer at Muirfield with a five-under-par round of 66 which took him back to level par and ensured his qualification for the match play stage. 

The cut for the top 64 players and ties fell at six-over-par and among those to miss out on the match play stage include Michael Lawrie, son of the 1999 Champion Golfer of the Year Paul, and Junior Open Champion Pedro Lencart Silva.

The match play stage gets underway on Thursday at Muirfield. Admission and parking is free. For the match play draw and scoring please visit championships.randa.org
Key Quotes:

Kristoffer Reitan:

“I am very pleased at finishing on top of the leaderboard. I just kept on fighting the entire day because there were not too many birdies out there and the conditions weren’t too easy. I made a lot of pars and I’m pleased with that. Unfortunately I made a bogey on the last but 70 is always a good score at Muirfield.

“Yesterday we (Markus) had a deal that we would have finished number one and two – because that is something that we would really like. Obviously I always wanted it to be me at the top but we just really wanted two Norwegians at the top of the leaderboard – that was our main focus.
“I just have to play one match at a time and keep on focusing on what I’ve been doing. I never take anything for granted and just keep on fighting and I really enjoy match play because it really suits my game and I get to be a little more aggressive. I’m looking forward to that.”
Markus Braadlie:
“I played well these two days and like yesterday at Renaissance Club, I hit the ball pretty well today and got the ball on most of the fairways. I missed some of the greens but I managed to save par with some nice putts. There was a little bit more wind on the back nine and it was pretty tough as the holes are quite long.

“I’ve never played in Scotland before, it’s a new experience with the links golf courses but it’s been fun and I’m looking forward to playing match play. It’s a little bit different than stroke play because you’re playing one opponent but I think it’s a little bit more fun.”

Harry Goddard:

“I went out there with a game plan to hit the greens in the best place possible because the greens are quite undulating. Luckily my iron play was in good condition and I was able to make some good putts.

“My ambitions for this week were to get two solid rounds and make the cut but obviously I'll take this, being the best British player after two rounds.

“They are really great courses. Luckily the wind wasn't too harsh for us. Yesterday it was a bit blowy on my front nine but I managed to keep the ball in play.”

TO VIEW ALL THE STROKE PLAY SCORES

CLICK HERE

EuroPro Tour report and link to scores

WRIGLEY AND LAWRENCE HOLD CAVERSHAM LEAD AT SIX UNDER

NEWS RELEASE FROM NICK TEALE

Alex Wrigley and Thriston Lawrence share the six-under-par lead after the first round of the HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour’s pentahotel Championship at Caversham Heath Golf Club in Reading.

Wrigley (Hartlepool Golf Club) and South African Lawrence (Nelspruit Golf Club) both shot first-round 67s and hold a one-stroke lead over the three golfers who shot five-under-par 68s; Robbie Busher (Salisbury and South Wilts GC), Graham Roberts (Eaton Golf Club) and Haydn McCullen (Delamere Forest).

Both leaders began their rounds on the tenth tee. Wrigley got off to a perfect start with an eagle at 11 following a birdie at the 10^th. He was five under after nine holes having also broken par at the 13^th and 16^th and made further movement up the leaderboard with birdies at the 2^nd and 4^th. However, a bogey at the 9^th denied him the outright lead.

Lawrence also made five birdies on the traditional back nine, but bogeyed the 13^th. After turning to play the front nine, he broke par at the 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th but dropped a shot at the 6^th before seeing out his round to par.

After his round, Lawrence tweeted: “Solid opening round -6 = T1. Game feeling good, loving the challenge of the course.” 

His co-leader Wrigley said, “I birdied the first and on the next hole drove it into the left heavy rough, chipped it out to about 60 yards and pitched in, so it was a nice start and it got the round going.

“It’s a tricky course, the greens are tough and there are some tough pins but I kept it on the right side of the hole. I am from a links course so I am used to the firmness of the course, but the greens are sloppy and I don’t think anybody could feel comfortable if they get the wrong side of the hole. 

“The greens are excellent so if you can give yourself an uphill putt it is probably better than coming downhill.

“I came close to a win last year but I feel I am maybe a bit readier, a bit more experienced this year. I would love to win.” 

The pentahotels Championship continues on Thursday. A cut to the leading 50 players and ties will be made after the second round with the final round set for Friday.

 

Live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com and spectator entry is free throughout the event.

 

A two-hour highlights show from the event will be broadcast on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 23. 

LINK TO ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE 

SCOTS' SCORES

  par 73

71 F Moore (T16)

72 E Saltman (T24)

73 C Macaulay, C Lawrie, K Nicol (T35)

74 N Fenwick, Z Saltman (T59)

75 P McKechnie, S Lawrie, J Henry (T76)

76 L Saltman, N Henderson (T94)

77 W Booth, J McColl (T108)

78 C O'Neil (T119)

79 R Campbell (T138)

81 J Duff (T158)

+Field cut to leading 50 and ties after Round 2

 

England's winning double  at Scottish U14 championship England’s Dominic Clemons and Caitlin Whitehead have won the Loretto School Scottish boys’ and girls’ U14 open championship at Craigielaw Golf Club. The strong international field faced some testing conditions in East Lothian, with winds gusting around 35 mph on the first of the two-day event, but it dropped on the second afternoon to favour the later starters and produce a dramatic finish in the boys’ championship. Fourteen year-old Clemons from Gog Magog Golf Club clinched the title in a sudden death play-off, beating Jean Bekirian from Manville in France with a birdie at the first extra hole. It follows up on his third place in last week’s English U14 boys’ open championship for the Reid Trophy. The bronze medal was won by William Lewis from Long Ashton Golf Club, who finished two shots behind on 145. Bekirian had held the lead in the clubhouse after posting a 75 and 68 in his two rounds of stroke play for a one-over total. But his hopes of winning were dashed when the English youngster, playing in the last group, matched his scores to take the competition beyond 36 holes. “The first day was trickier with the weather but today, you had to take the birdie chances and go low,” said Clemons, who lives in Hertfordshire. “In the play-off, Jean had a tough chip and he put it to about 15 feet which was a good shot from where he was and I just had to give myself a birdie chance which came out right for a simple putt. “It’s a great win and I’m happy as I’ve had a few top five and top-10 results so I’m happy to get over the line finally. This is a good one to win as there are people from all over the world playing.” In the girls’ championship, it was an England one-two-three, with Whitehead, 13, scoring 147 to finish five-over, with Annabell Fuller from Roehampton and Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham three shots behind on 150. Fuller, the runner-up in this year’s Scottish Girls Open, was awarded the silver medal on a count-back. Whitehead, from Kendal Golf Club, shot eight birdies in her four-under second round of 67, which was the lowest score of both the boys’ and girls’ events. The Cumbrian had set herself a target of par, having played well in the first round until the last two holes, going eight shots over on those alone to card an 80. But with the wind dropping ahead of her round, she produced eight birdies on day two, including one at the par-five 18th, which, a day earlier, had taken her nine shots. She said: “It was good to go out in the better half of the day when the wind dropped as last year I had the worst half both days, so it was good to get the better conditions and the greens were softer and the title was out there to get. “It was my goal this year to win either the English or the Scottish as it’s my last year at under-14 so I’m really pleased to have won.” Both Whitehead and Clemons are member of England Golf regional U16 squads. Whitehead was fifth in last month’s English U14 girls’ open championship while Clemons will represent England in next week’s U16 boys’ international against Wales. First contested in 2001, the event, which attracted players from 24 countries this year, is the youngest national age group championship in Scotland. The event has been greatly supported by the Loretto School Golf Academy, who have been sponsors since 2004. Click here for full results Image © Craig Watson Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf pr@englandgolf.org 07825 752 193

Men's Home Internationals

England 8.5, Scotland 6.5 and Ireland beat 

Wales 8-7 on Day 1 at Nairn

FROM SCOTTISH GOLF 
There was pain in the rain for hosts Scotland on day one of the Fairstone Men’s Home Internationals at The Nairn Golf Club, as England won a tight ‘auld enemy’ battle to join defending champions Ireland as winners on the opening day.
After the early Highland sunshine gave way to steady drizzle, it was the visitors who still managed to shine as they edged to an 
8.5 – 6.5 victory over the Scots, the reigning European Amateur Team champions.
With the foursomes shared in the morning – thanks in part to Barry Hume’s superb 45-foot eagle putt on the closing green – the singles went England’s way, after key one-hole wins for Adam Chapman and Dan Brown over Graeme Robertson and Craig Ross, while Ashton Turner also took out home member Sandy Scott 5 and 3.

CLICK ON THE LINE BELOW
View scores Day 1 at Fairstone Men’s Home Internationals

Craig Howie, Liam Johnston and Matthew Clark all replied with emphatic triumphs for the Scots, but Marco Penge won the final game on the course, 2 and 1 over Jamie Savage, to seal victory. It was more Highland success for Penge, given he won last year’s Carrick Neill Scottish Open Stroke Play at Lossiemouth
Scottish Golf’s National Coach Ian Rae said: “It was really tight at the end. We had a few games down, and they could then have gone either way. Craig and Graeme both lost down the last. It was tough all day, but there were some great performances there and some really good golf.
“Credit to England, they guys played well. The four teams are really closely matched, you have got no God-given right to win any game this week, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
England could reflect on a job well done, given the difficult conditions. “It wasn’t as tough as it could have been, and I’ve played in a lot heavier rain this year so far,” admitted Turner, after his win over local Scott.
“It was good fun this afternoon, obviously as expected the crowds were a little bit against me, but I tried to put that out of my mind and it was nice to get a point for the team. We’re trying to prise the trophy away from Irish hands so hopefully this will be the year for England.”
Ireland, meanwhile, bidding for a hat-trick of Home Internationals titles, held firm to also edge a close match with Wales, 8 – 7. Conor Purcell’s one-hole victory over Jack Davidson ultimately proved decisive.
Stuart Grehan and Paul McBride put early afternoon points on the board for Ireland in the singles, after they had won the morning foursomes 3 – 2.
With Tiarnan McLarnon also securing a comfortable 6 and 4 success over Ben Chamberlain, the Irish were in full control only for Wales to win the last four games to give them a real scare.
Thursday's  matches see Scotland take on Ireland and England up against Wales, with the destination of the Raymond Trophy still very much up for grabs.
While some GB and I players are absent this week having qualified inside the world’s top 50 for the US Amateur Championship, the Highland venue is still hosting a golfing feast… so,iif you live anywhere near Nairn, come along and enjoy the action free of charge.