Stage set for great finish to Scottish boys' open stroke play at Craigielaw

FORREST READY TO CATCH FIRE ON FINAL DAY BID FOR TITLE DOUBLE

FROM ROSS DUNCAN

Scottish Golf Union

Craigielaw's Grant Forrest, playing over his home course, has his sights set firmly on completing a national title double after a level par second round 71 left him just a shot behind joint leaders Lloyd Best and Linus Vaisanen with 36 holes still to play in the Scottish boys' open stroke-play golf championship at the East Lothian venue.

Best, from Sherwood Forest and young Finnish star Vaisanen, who shared the overnight lead, matched each other with one-over par 72s to take a one-shot lead on 139 going into the final day on three-under par.

In worsening conditions, Scottish boys' match-play champion Forrest stayed patient and notched his third birdie of the day at the par-5 final hole for a 140 tally to secure a slot in the penultimate group today(Thursday).

Round of the day came from Falkirk Tryst’s Jamie Lynch, a beaten semi-finalist at West Kilbride in the boys' match play championship in April. He stormed over the outward nine with a four-under par 31. Despite a bogey at the tenth, Lynch move to five-under for his round with a superb eagle at the long 12th and although a birdie at the 15th was sandwiched by bogeys at the 14th and 16th, he signed off for a four-under par 67 to sit just two off the pace.

Lynch was joined on the 141 mark by Scottish boy international Scott Gibson (Southerness), who remained in contention for his maiden national title with a level par 71 and tied for fourth place. Pollok’s Conor O’Neil, one of the lowest handicappers in the field, shot an impressive two-under par 69 to sit menacingly poised three shots back, alongside Troon’s Marc Smith who matched O’Neil’s round of 69, with New Zealander Craig Hamilton on the same mark.

Defending champion Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) has it all to do after a two-over par 73 left him six shots behind the leaders on 145, while 14-year-old Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), who won his second successive national Under-14s title last week, and Scottish boys championship beaten finalist Ian Redford both birdied the last hole to scrape inside the cut mark on 148, six-over par.

GOOD TO SEE AB ( FOLLOWING HIS 11th PLACE IN ENGLISH U16s ) AND FT THROUGH - COMMISERATIONS TO AS AND AW. GOOD GOING FROM CHILL TOO !

QUALIFIERS

Par 142 (2x71)

139 Linus Vaisanen (Finland) 67 72, Lloyd Best (sherwood Forest0 67 72.

140 Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 69 71.

141 Jamie Lynch (Falkirk Tryst) 74 67, Scott Gibson (southerness) 70 71.

142 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 73 69, Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) 73 69, Craig Hamilton (NZ) 72 70, Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 68 74.

143 Jordan Lambert (Australia) 72 71, Lewis Fairbairn (Berwick) 67 76.

144 Daniel Hendry (United Arab Emirates) 73 71, Ewen Donaldson (Craigielaw) 69 75, Sam Craigon (Milnathort) 76 69, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 73 72, Andrew McLachlan (Bonnyton) 72 73, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 72 73, Cameron Mitchell (Lundin) 72 73, Arne Ravndal (Norway) 71 74, Chris Johnston (Truro) 71 74, Maximilian Walz (Germany) 71 74, Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee) 71 74, Dale Wright (Alness) 70 75.

146 Jeff Wright (Forres) 74 72, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 74 72, Scott Wightman (Powfoot) 72 74, Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Galloway) 72 74.

147 Steven Smith (Deeside) 78 69, Anthony Blaney (Liberton & Gullane ) 75 72, Jamie Savage (Cawder) 75 72, Greg Smail (Craigielaw) 75 72, Scott Costello (Kirkhill) 75 72, Daniel Flannery (Peebles) 74 73, Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 74 73, Ryan Campbell (Grangemouth) 73 74, Rodger Clarke (Moray_) 73 74, Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) 72 75.

148 Euan Mackay (Craigielaw) 77 71, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 76 72, Craig Howie (Peebles) 76 72, Leslie Gaughan (Bathgate) 75 73, Charlie MacNeal (Troon Welbeck) 75 73, Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 75 73, Connor Neil (Blairgowrie) 74 74, Fraser Thain (West Linton) 73 75, Ian Redford (St Andrews New) 73 75.

MISSED THE CUT

149 Graeme Duncan (Kingsknowe) 78 71, Craig Anderson (Sandyhills) 76 73, Scott Wearing (Bishopbriggs) 75 74, Jack Scott (Deeside) 74 75, Paul McPhee (King James vI) 73 76, Callum Graham (Milnathort) 71 78.

150 Martin Buchan (Balbirnie Park) 77 73, Sebastian Riegelbauer (Germany) 76 74, Ryan Cardwell (Burnham and Berrow) 76 74, Jordan Milne (Elgin) 76 74, Andrew Borg (Penwortham) 74 76, Christopher Lamb (Newmachar) 72 78, Michael Younie (Frilford Heath) 69 81.

151 Thomas Goodair (Woodsome Hall), Martin Scott (Hamilton), John Fernandes (Enfield) 76 75, Gary Chalmers (Dollar) 75 76, Sean Blinkhorn (Leigh) 75 76, Ben Anderson (Woodhall Spa) 72 79, Ross Gillan (Torrance House) 72 79, Callum Cromar (Aboyne) 72 79, Angus Carrick (Douglas Park).

152 John Bradford (Braintree) 77 75, Anthony O'Donnell (Greenock Whinhill) 76 76, Ross Gordon (Peterhead) 75 77, Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 75 77, Thomas Schofield (Barbados) 74 78, Andrew Carrell (Peterculter) 74 78.

153 Ryan Boyle (Bathgate), Ross Storrier (Downfield) 79 74, Jake Hogg (Germany) 78 75, Patrick O'Neil (Pollok) 78 75, Chris Forrest (Northumberland) 77 76, John Salmond (Alloa) 77 76, John Douglas (Thornton) 77 76, Carl Johnstone (Carlisle) 77 76, Patrick Skakel (Copt Heath) 77 76, Cameron Farrell (Cardross) 77 76, Jamie Arthur (Milnathort) 76 77, Thomas White (Milnathort) 76 77, Jordyn Rhind (Uphall) 76 77, Ritchie Manson (Kemnay) 76 77, Camneron Marr (Musselburgh) 75 78.

154 Jordan Bryce (Strathaven) 79 75, Greig Stewart (Crieff) 78 76, Lewis Johansen (Caldy) 78 76, Michael Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 77 77, Fraser Lauder (Paisley) 77 77, Ewan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 78, Peter Sangster (Thurso) 75 79.

155 Jordan Gallagher (Crow Wood) 79 76.

156 Neil Beattie (St Andrews) 83 73, Daniel McConnachie (Dumfries and Co) 80 76, Josh Bogle (Ranfurly Castle) 80 76, Cameron West (Scotscraig) 80 76, Calum McLean (Cowglen) 79 77, James Steven (Kirkhill) 78 78, Ben Murray (Portlethen) 78 78, Harrison Savage (Australia) 78 78, William Aldred (Mid Herts) 77 79, Oliver Roberts (Archerfield) 76 80, Ryan Simpson (Bonnyton) 75 81, Euan Bowden (Glen) 75 81, Andrew Whyte (St Andrews New) 71 85.

157 Chris Moore (West Essex) 78 79, Lee Shepherd (Sherwood Forest) 78 79, Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal) 77 80, Kurt Yule (Berwick) 75 82.

158 Jake Scott (Strathlene) 80 78, Alasdair Simpson (Tantallon) 79 79, David Gallagher (Glasgow) 78 80, Jamie Reid (Cruden Bay) 77 81, Darek Kinecki (Callander) 76 82. Graeme Ritchie (Troon Welbeck) 75 83, Jack Thorburn (Dunfermline) 74 84, Fraser McNeill (Cathkin Braes) 73 85.

159 Grant Bowman (Monifieth) 84 75, Fergus Smith (Paisley) 82 77, Ciar Porciani (Ayr Belleisle) 82 77, Reece Mitchell (Downfield) 81 78, Alexander Wilson (Gullane0 80 79, Glenn Fotheringham (Grangemouth) 79 80.

160 Lewis Campbell (Baberton) 82 78, Christopher Low (Tantallon) 80 80, Lewis Bain(Turnhouse) 79 81, David Docherty (Bonnyton) 78 82.

161 Blair Todd (Greenburn) 77 84.

162 Philip Gordon (Paisley) 86 76.

165 Raphael Higuet (Belgium) 77 88.

167 Calum Stewart (Brora) 84 83.

168 Greg Dunsmore (Saline) 82 86, Daniel Thompsett (Aboyne) 79 89.

181 Callum Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 85 86.