Bruce from Banff and Nairn's Gillies reach Scottish boys' quarter-finals


By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) and Logan Gillies (Nairn) are the only North players through to the quarter-finals of the Scottish U18 boys' championship at Scotscraig Golf Club, Fife.
Marc Watt (Inverallochy), the No 2 seed who was strongly fancied for the title after top qualifier Darren Howie (Peebles) lost his first tie, was beaten in the third round, 3 and 1 by James Morgan (Longniddry).
As so often happens, giant-killer Morgan was cut down to size in in the fourth round, beaten 6 and 5 buy Nathan McCulloch (Kingsknowe).
McCulloch is Bruce's quarter-final opponent. Bruce qualified for the match-play in 10th position with a score of 149, one better than McCulloch .
The 18-year-old from Banff is the lowest qualifier in the last eight which also includes Lewis Irvine (Kirkhill), beaten in last year's final by Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield).
McIntosh was beaten by one hole in the third round by Aidan Smith (Edzell) who lost his next tie to Irvine by one hole.
Logan Gillies from Nairn squeezed through at the 20th in his third round tie but was a 3 and 2 winner over Matty Wilson (Forres) in the fourth.
Euan Orr (Kemnay) was  knocked out in the fourth round, beaten 2 and 1 by Dean Walsh (Lochgelly) who is Gillies' opponent in the quarter-finals.
Walsh has already claimed one North scalp in Steven Pears (Nairn Dunbar), beating him 3 and 2 in the the third round.


SCOTTISH U18 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP
Scotscraig GC, Fife
Results:
ROUND THREE
J Marchbank (Dumfries and Galloway) bt R Mair (Buckpool) 2 and 1.
A Murray (Troon Welbeck) bt J Williams (Sandyhills) 1 hole.
G Dalziel (Airdrie) bt C Dufftown (Aboyne) 3 and 2.
C Jack (Sweden) bt C G Daun (Inverness) 1 hole.
D Walsh (Lochgelly) bt S Pears (Nairn Dunbar) 3 and 2.
E Orr (Kemnay) bt J Johnstone (Bellingham) 1 hole.
L Gillies (Nairn) bt K Bowman (St Andrews New) at 20th
M Wilson (Forres) bt J MacKintosh (Nairn) 4 and 3.


L Irvine (Kirkhill) bt L Brown (Tobermory) 2 and 1.
A Smith (Edzell) bt E McIntosh (Bruntsfield) 1 hole.
J Greer (Joondalup) bt W Ladbroke (Gullane) 4 and 2.
C Gibson (Blairgowrie) bt C Paterson (Ratho Park) 3 and 1.
C Bruce (Duff House Royal) bt R McAuley (Fereneze) 1 hole.
E Wheat (Royal Montrose) bt I Taggart (Lenzie) 1 hole.
N McCulloch (Kingsknowe) bt A Bendall (Castle Douglas) 3 and 2.
J Morgan (Longniddry) bt M Watt (Inverallochy) 3 and 1.


FOURTH ROUND
Marchbank bt Murray 2 and 1.
Dalziel bt Jack 1 hole.
Walsh bt Orr  2 and 1.
Gillies bt Wilson 3 and 1.


Irvine bt Smith 1 hole.
Greer bt Gibson 4 and 3
Bruce bt Wheat 5 and 4.
McCulloch bt Morgan 6 and 5


TUESDAY'S QUARTER-FINALS
08.00 Marchbank v Dalziel.
08.15 Walsh v Gillies
08.30 Irvine v Greer
08.45 Bruce v McCulloch


Semi-finals at 12.45 and 13.00