Craig Howie leads Craigmillar Park Open by


three at halfway - and it could have been more!


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Craig Howie from Peebles leads the Craigmillar Park Open by three strokes at the halfway stage - and it could have been more!
Howie, who had trailed first-round leader and younger brother Darren by one with a four-under 66, repeated the score in the second round and that was enough to lift him clear of the field.
Craig (pictured), the Scottish U18 boys' match-play champion in 2012, had nine birdies in his second 66 but he shed strokes to par late in the day with a double bogey 5 at the short 15th and bogeys at the 16th and 18th, slips that will encourage the chasing pack not to throw in the towel before Sunday's third and fourth rounds at the parkland Edinburgh venue.
Closest rival at halfway is James White (Lundin) after scores of 67 and 68 for 135. White had halves of 34 and a bag of six birdies which was offset by four bogeys.
Sharing third place on 137 with 36 holes to go are local member Andy Utterson (66-71), Steven Stewart (Clydebank and Dist) (69-68) and Darren Howie who slipped from his leading 65 to a two-over 72 in the afternoon. Like his big brother, Darren had a double bogey 5 at the short 13th. '
Stewart had a bag of eight birdies including the 14th, 15th and 17th for his 68.
Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), winner of the Scottish Champion of Champions tournament at Leven on April 2 and also a past winner of the Craigmillar Park Open, is lying joint sixth on 138 after rounds of 68 and 70.
Forty-three players with 36-hole totals of 146 and better qualified for Sunday's final two rounds.

CRAIGMILLAR PARK OPEN
Craigmillar Park Golf Club, Edinbutgh

LEADING HALFWAY TOTALS

par 140 (2x70) SSS 68. CSS 71

132 C Howie (Peebles) 66 66.

135 J White (Lundin) 65 68.

137 A Utterson (Craigmillar Park) 66 71, D Howie (Peebles) 65 72, S Stewart (Clydebank and Dist) 69 68.

138 S Locke (Banchory) 72 66, M Clark (Kilmacolm) 70  68, B McLeod (Musselburgh) 69 69, A Ni (Murrayfield) 69 69, G Robertson (Glenberrvie) 68 70.

139 A J Shaw (Cupar) 67 72, M Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 66 73, J Harling (Banchory) 70 69.

140 J Shaw (Boat of Garten) 69 71, S Heads (Hexham) 73 67.
141 A J Minnikin (Alnmouth) 74 67, M Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 72 69, R Aisbitt (Brancepeth Castle) 69 72, P Maxwell (Glenbervie) 67 74.


OTHER QUALIFIERS INCLUDED
143 Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) 72 71 (T22)
144 C Leith (Royal Aberdeen) 74 70 (T29)
146 C R Watson (East Renfrewshire) 72 74 (T35).




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