Syme, Munro and Davren share first-round 

lead on one-under 71 at Battle Trophy


By DAVID ROY

As golfers all over Scotland were scraping frost from their car windscreens, the early starters in the Battle Trophy were undeterred by the bitter north wind, posting scores that marked them as serious contenders for this weekend's 72-hole SGU Order of Merit counter over the Craighead Links of Crail Golfing Society.

 First in was Dan Lawrence (Balumbie Castle), with birdies at 2, 11 and 12 cancelling out a bogey at 5 and a double at 9 giving him a  72. 

This was bettered by the first of three-under-par 71s that jointly headed the field at the end of the first-round.

Local man Connor Syme (Drumoig), pictured, failed to master the hard par threes, with a double at 5 and a bogey at 17 but hr more than made up for this with birdies at 1, 6, 10, 15 for a 71. 

The second 71 of the day came from Gordon Munro (Fraserburgh), who had one blemish with a bogey at the notoriously difficult 17^th but birdied 6, 10 and 15. 

The third man with a 71, Fraser Davren (Williamwood), was one of the last to tee off and his adventures included birdies at 2, 8, 10, 11 and 16, compensating for bogeys  at the relatively short 3, 9, 12 and 15. Walker Cup man Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) is handily placed on 73 but the winner at Craigmiller Park Open last weekend, Graeme Robertson (Glenbrervie) has much work to do after a 79 left him +7.

 

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS
Par 72 SS 74 CSS 77 (reduction only)
71 C Syme (Drumoig), G Munro (Fraserburgh), F Davren (Williamwood).
72 D Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle), J Shaw (Boat of Garten), J Harling (Banchory).
73 G Forrest (Craigielaw), J Bunch (Prestwick), R Franssen (Inverness), E McIntosh (Dubai).
75 D Morrison (Duff House Royal), C Fyfe (Cawder), R Brydon (Bruntsfield Links), J Forgan (Stowmarket), J Savage (Cawder), C MacLean (Balmore), S Roger (Cruden Bay).
76 C Low (Tantallon), J A Wilson (Balmore), K McClung (Wigtownshire), W Porter (Carnoustie), P Gault (Haggs Castle).

SELECTED OTHER SCORES
77 J Wright (Forres), M Watt (Inverallochy).
78 S Scott (Nairn), K Godsman (Moray), C Bruce (Duff House Royal).
79 C Brechin (Portlethen), G Robertson (Glenbervie)
82 B Kinsley (St Andrews).
86 N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen).

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