Kilmarnock Barassie’s Jack McDonald, the champion from two years ago, heads a tightly packed Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship leaderboard by one shot after the first round at Nairn Dunbar.
McDonald, who stormed to the title at Ladybank in 2009, opened his campaign in style with a fine two-under par 70 to take a one shot lead ahead of a quartet of players on 71.
The 18-year-old University of Stirling applied maths student picked three birdies in the opening six holes to reach the turn in 32.
After dropping shots at the 11th and 12th, the young Ayrshireman – bidding to become the first player since Stephen Gallacher to win the title twice - got his round back on track with a further birdie at the par five 16th hole, to post the lowest round of the day.
Nairn’s Sean Burgess, who reached the last 16 of the boys’ match play earlier in the year, picked up three birdies in his last ten holes in a round of 71 and he was joined on one-under par by Dubai-based Scottish Boys’ cap Daniel Hendry, who claimed five birdies in his round. Bishopbriggs’ Scott Wearing and Lancaster’s Adam Stone also carded a 71 in their opening round as just five players broke par on a showery day on the Moray Firth coast.
A group of five players find themselves two shots back after day one, including Scottish Boys Champion David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) and Dumfries and County’s Greig Marchbank, the current leader of the SGU Boys Order of Merit. Elgin’s Jordan Milne also fired a level par 72 and he was joined by James Steven (Bothwell Castle) and Joshua Jamieson (St Andrews New).
East Renfrewshire’s John Scott, a quarter-finalist in the Scottish Boys Championship back in April, was one of eight players sharing eleventh place on 73, one ahead of Liberton’s Anthony Blaney, who lies second in the boys rankings after an excellent season to date.
Ben Kinsley, winner of the recent Scottish Boys Under-16s Championship, couldn’t recapture the form he displayed during his fine win at Forfar, struggling to a nine-over par 81 and will have his work cut out to make the final two rounds, with the top 40 players and ties qualifying after tomorrow’s second round.
Ayrshire scores :-
70 - Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie)
72 - David Wilson (Troon Welbeck)
73 - Charlie MacNeal (Troon Welbeck)
77 - Callum Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie)
78 - Jack McCluskey (Ayr Belleisle)
79 - Robbie Fitzpatrick (Irvine)
82 - Callum Beveridge (Troon Welbeck)
88 - Louis Murray (Troon Welbeck)
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