Scottish amateur championship First Q round in Ayshire

Sandy Scott clickety clicks to lead with a 66

SCOTTISH GOLF NEWS RELEASE

Seemingly refusing to be outdone by his younger sibling, Nairn’s Sandy Scott heads the field after the opening round of the new-look Scottish men’s amateur championship at Prestwick.

After 13-year-old Calum Scott won his first national title at the recent Global Golf Post Scottish Under-16s and became one of the youngest-ever Scots to earn a Boys’ Home Internationals call-up, big brother has perhaps felt a little extra sibling rivalry.

Sandy, pictured right, certainly rose to the occasion on day one in Ayrshire, taking route 66 to post a five-under-par effort over the historic Prestwick links to head a quartet of players a stroke further back.

In line with a number of other countries, the Championship has changed from straight knock-out to 36-hole stroke play qualifying over Prestwick and Prestwick St Cuthbert’s, with the leading 64 players (and ties) reaching the match play stages.

“I played really well and hit the ball better than the last few weeks,” said Scott, 19, a European Amateur Team winner with Scotland last summer and a student at Texas Tech. “I didn’t miss many greens which was key and managed to get up and down for par when I needed to which kept my momentum going.

“I drove the ball well and my short putting was consistent. I also managed my way round the course which was crucial in the wind.

While Calum has a little work to do in a tie for 73rd spot after his three-over effort, there were no such problems for Calum Fyfe (Cawder), Banchory’s Sam Locke, Ed Wood from Crow Wood and Musselburgh’s Benn McLeod on four under.

Balmore’s Chris Maclean, recently selected for the forthcoming Men’s Home Internationals after a fine season, continued his form following a three-under 68 at Prestwick.

“I played really solid today, anything under par around Prestwick is pretty nice, especially in a wind like that,” said Maclean. “I just had to try and stay patient and pick up some birdies when I had the chances. Hopefully I can do the same tomorrow, then we can see what happens as the week progresses.”

Australia-based Scot Josh Greer, who was runner-up in the Scottish Boys’ at Scotscraig to Airdrie’s Greg Dalziel, also caught the eye after a 68 at Prestwick St Cuthbert’s, while Euan McIntosh from Turnhouse stepped up his bid for a Home Internationals return following his solid 69. Dalziel himself put himself in position for a Boys’ and Men’s Amateur double after his own 68.

Defending champion from Windyhill, George Duncan, posted a 73, the same score as the field’s top-ranked player Craig Howie from Peebles, both sharing a tie for 55^th.

The players exchange courses for the second round of stroke-play qualifying  on Tuesday ahead of the matchplay stages.

 LEADING FIRST Q ROUND SCORES

(Leading 64 and ties to qualify after Tuesday's second round for match-play stages beginning on Wednesday).
PRESTWICK
par 71 (35-36). CSS 75
66 Sandy Scott (Nairn) 33-33
68 Chris Maclean (Balmore) 33-35
70 Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 37-33, Jonathan King (Glasgow) 34-36.
71 Jim Johnston (Ayr Belleisle) 36-35, Rory Franssen (Inverness) 35-36.
72 Kyle Godsman (Moray) 37-35, Craig Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert) 37-35, Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 36-36, Alastair Thurlow (Murrayfield) 34-38,  Andrew Ni (Murrayfield) 36-36.
73 George Burns (Williamwood) 38-35, N H M Beattie (St Andrews) 37-36, Colin Edgar (Elderslie) 37-36, S Easton (Irvine) 36-36, Lewis Irvine (Kirkhill) 36-37, Will Porter (Carnoustie) 35-38, Benjamin Henderson (Deeside) 34-39.
74 Marc Watt (Inverallochy) 38-36, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 37-37, Darren Howie (Peebles) 37-37, Jack Broun (Ayr Belleisle) 38-36, Robbie Muir (Kilmarnock Barassie) 39-35.
75 John D Forbes (Inverness) 38-37.
76 Mark Thomson (Kintore) 40-36, Niall Young (Insch) 39-37, Adam Fisher (Newmachar) 38-38.
77 Jonny Mackay (Duff House Royal) 41-36, Jeff Wright (Forres) 39-38, Christopher Crawford (Peterhead) 39-38, Kenny Gunnyeon (Murcar Links) 36-41.
78 Jamie Pryde (Deeside) 36-4
82 Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten) 41-41

PRESTWICK ST CUTHBERT
par 71 (36-35). CSS 71
67 Sam Locke (Banchory) 34-33, Ed Wood (Crow Wood) 33-34, Benn McLeod (Musselburgh) 32-35
68 Alyx Murray (Troon Welbeck) 34-34, Joshua Greer (Joondalup, Australia) 34-34, James Wilson (Balmore) 33-35, Greg Dalziel (Airdrie) 35-33.
69 Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) 36-33, Euan McBride (Lenzie) 35-34, Brad Bannerman (Blairgowrie) 34-35, Stuart Blair (Royal Musselburgh) 34-35, Campbell Gibson (Blairgowrie) 31-38.
70 Steven Mann (Pollok) 32-38, Robbie Lacon (Torwoodlee) 36-34, Jack McMorris (East Kilbrid) 34-36, Chris Gaittens (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 34-36.
71 Ross Callan (Bathgate) 37-34, Ewan Wheat (Royal Montrose) 34-37, G Brown (Cathkin Braes) 34-37, John Haggarty (Loudoun Gowf) 36-35, Drew McIntosh (Bruntsfield) 34-37, Kieran Urquhart (Downfield) 35-36, Liam Balneaves (Carnoustie) 35-36, George C Barrie (Callander) 34-37, Christopher Low (Tantallon) 33-38.
72 Steven Smith (Deeside) 37-35, Matty Wilson (Forres) 37-35, Ryan Copland (Cawder) 36-36, James Sutherland (Hilton Park) 36-36, David McLaren (Cathkin Braes) 36-36, Paul Reilly (Kilmacolm) 35-37, Sandy Buchanan (Prestwick St Nicholas) 35-37, Simon Hedger (West Kilbride) 25-326, Michael Brodie (Alyth) 34-38, Neil McConnachie (Balmore) 34-38, Calvin Cheyne (Newmachar) 33-39, L Breslin (Fereneze) 32-40, Stewart Percy (Caldwell) 36-36..
73 Craig Howie (Peebles) 38-35, Marcus Rickard (Cupar) 38-35, James Rogers (Rockcliffe Hall) 38-35, Nicklas Blyth (Germany) 38-35, Dominic Dougan (Drumpellier) 37-36, Fintan McKenna (Royal Aberdeen) 37-36, Daniel Ward (Cardross) 36-37, Paul Gault (Haggs Castle) 36-37, Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) 35-38, George Duncan (Windyhill) 34-39, Mark Robertson (Western Gailes) 34-39.
74 Lindsay Smart (Banchory) 39-35, Calum D Scott (Nairn) 38-36, Kieran Mackay (Inverness) 36-38.
75 Lewis Reid (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 37-38.
76 Ben Murray (Portlethen) 38-38, Jamie Whittet (Muir of Ord) 37-39, Lewis McWilliam (Aboyne) 36-40, Cameron Franssen (Inverness) 35-41.
77 Robert O'Donnell (Oldmeldrum) 40-37.


To view all the scores
CLICK HERE