Scottish amateur championship down to last 16 at Blairgowrie

Callum Bruce plays Matthew Clark in key match of Friday's third round

SCOTTISH GOLF REPORT

After an action-packed first day of match-play golf at the Scottish men’s amateur championship, top seed Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) will play Kilmacolm’s experienced campaigner Matthew Clark in a mouth-watering clash in the opening match of Friday morning's round of the last 16 over Blairgowrie Golf Club's Rosemount course.

Clark, pictured, comfortably defeated Hayston’s James Paterson this morning 5 and 4 and then, after a scrappy opening nine holes in his last-32 tie against Lundin’s Greg Wishart, the Kilmacolm man hit a red-hot streak of form and was eight-under par for his final nine holes.

After his victory, Clark said

“To only win by two holes is a testament to Greg who played great. He didn’t deserve to lose. However, on the Rosemount course, once you get through six holes you have birdie and eagle opportunities in regular occurrence and if you get the putter hot, which I thankfully did today on the back nine, you can score well.

“I got to the quarter-finals last year and narrowly lost and I feel like I am due a good run in this championship. As an older amateur, it means an awful lot to still be competing with the younger lads and it’s a championship I treasure.

"It’s a golf course that suits me. It’s a golf course I know I can score well around, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Elsewhere there were comfortable early second round wins for Nairn’s Calum Scott, who defeated fellow Northerner, Lewis Bryce-Maynard (Moray) 5 and 4 and Peebles’ Stephen Roger, who was a North-east player earlier in the season,  triumphed 6 and 5 over Steven Stewart of Clydebank and District.

Rodger will face off against Calum’s elder brother, Sandy Scott, in Friday’s third round after Sandy defeated Ben Canton (St Andrews New) 3 and 2 in the final match of the day.

Highlander Sandy Scott, 20, who attends college in the US at Texas Tech said:

“The week has been great so far. I played some good stuff this morning, but it was a little bit of a slow start this afternoon before I got some momentum going. Overall, I am pretty happy with my game and looking forward to tomorrow.

“At the beginning of the week, the Rosemount course didn’t really suit my eye. I preferred the Lansdowne but after playing Rosemount  a few times it’s definitely growing on me. I think they are both great courses here at Blairgowrie and in great shape.

“I have played with Stephen (Rodger) a good few times, I know him fairly well, so it will a good friendly match and I’m looking forward to it.”

The top amateur ranked player in this week’s field, Euan Walker, edged out Bruntsfield Links’ Eric McIntosh, the 2016 Scottish U18 boys' champion, in a closely fought match this afternoon, winning by one hole. Walker will face Robbie Morrison, a Scot who is based in Australia and a member of the Royal Perth Golf Club, in the  third round.

 

Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship – Round 1 & 2 Results

Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship – Round 3 DrawSc