JACK McDONALD, WINNER IN 2009, LEADS SCOTTISH BOYS' FIELD

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Jack McDonald, the 2009 title-winner from Kilmarnock Barassie, is on the trail of Stephen Gallacher's double-whammy success in the Scottish Under-18 boys' amateur open stroke-play golf championship at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club.

Gallacher, now a successful European Tour pro, won the boys' stroke-play crown in back-to-back years: 1991 and 1992.

He was the last player to win this title twice.

McDonald, pictured right in 2009 with his haul of trophies, cannot obviously duplicate Gallacher's two-in-a-row feat but a two-under-par 70 to lead the first round at Nairn Dunbar is a great start to follow up his success of two years ago over four rounds at Ladybank.

McDonald had a little bit of a wobble just after the turn, having covered the first nine holes in a best of the day three-under-par 32 with birdies at the second, fifth and sixth.

Bogeys at the short 11th and 12th threatened to derail his effort but he covered the last six holes in one under par, thanks to a birdie at the long 16th.

Four players are breathing down his neck on the 71 mark, including Nairn's Sean Burgess who won the North District boys' title earlier this month and knows the Nairn Dunbar course almost as well as his home links.

Sean was struggling a bit with bogeys at the fifth and short eighth but he stopped the rote and covered the remaining holes in three under par with birdies at three par-5s: the ninth, 13th and 16th.

Also on 71 is Danile Hendry, all the way from the United Arab Emirates.He had more birdies than anyone - five in all, at the short third, short sixth, long ninth, long 16th and long 18th ... but he had to make up for a double bogey 6 at the seventh and single shots dropped at the 10th and short 15th.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS

Par 72. SSS 74. CSS 74

70 J McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie).

71 S Burgess (Nairn), D Hendry (United Arab Emirates), S Wearing (Bishopbriggs), Adam Stone (Lancaster).

73 J Milne (Elgin), J Steven (Bothwell Castle), G Marchbank (Dumfries and Co), Joshua Jamieson (St Andrews New), David Wilson (Troon Welbeck).

73 M Lehtovuori (Finland), R Cardwell (Burnham and Berrow), A Loch (Pumpherston), G Joss (Royal Aberdeen), J Scott (East Renfrewshire), C Lamb (Newmachar), Cameron Kirkwood (Bearsden), Charlie MacNeal (Troon Welbeck).

74 F Brown (Nairn Dunbar), A Blaney (Liberton & Gullane ),, L Bain (Turnhouse), C Hill (Tantallon), L Johnston (Dumfries and Co), C Howie (Peebles), Daniel McConnachie (Dumfries and Galloway), Jamie Savage (Cawder), Craig Ross (Kirkhill), Connor Neil (Blairgowrie), Gavin Roger (Clober).

75 C McNeill (Lauder), J Douglas (Aberdour), C Syme (Dumfries and Co), T Goodair (Woodsome Hall), C Oran (Nairn Dunbar), A Simpson (Tantallon & Gullane), L Allan (Alva), C Cook (Caird Park), Lewis Gaughan (Bathgate).

76 J Kukkonen (Fin), F Thain (West Linton & Gullane ), E Myllymaki (Fin), E Scott (St Andrews), M Kuronen (Fin), A Grant (Dunblane New), G Foley (Ralston), D Flannery (Peebles), Scott Whannel (Newton Stewart), Paul Reilly (Lochwinnoch).

77 G Paterson (Ranfurly Castle), B Murray (Portlethen), J Scott (Strathlene), R Brydon (Bruntsfield Links), B Carnegie (Dunblane New), S Blair (Royal Musselburgh), G Forrest (Craigielaw), Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), Gus Mottershead (Burhill), Callum Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie).

78 F Sandison (Blairgowrie), A McDougall (Elderslie), R Gillan (Torrance House), J Reid (Cruden Bay), J Holt (Wilpshire), G Fotheringham (Falkirk Tryst), L Morgan (Swanston New), R Gauld (Cruden Bay), W Kerr (Craigielaw), R Tinker (Strathmore), C Hill (Muckhart), J McCluskey (Ayr Belleisle), A Carrick (Douglas Park), B Stokoe (Betchworth Park).

79 A Wilson (Gullane), R MacIntyre (Glencruitten), A Carrell (Peterculter), R Fitzpatrick (Irvine), C McLean (Cowglen), P Templeton (Loretto & Gullane), R Proctor (Forres), C Marsland (Lincoln), A Cunningham (Ranfurly Castle).

80 C Stewart (Brora), S Kiloh (Portlethen), M Buchan (Balbirnie Park), C Smith (Dumbarton), A Burgess (Nairn), R McEwan (Cardross), S Cameron (Renfrew), G Forrester (Balbirnie Park), G Miller (Bathgate), D Slack (Kilmacolm), J Bryce (Strathaven), G Bowman (Monifieth), N Beattie (St Andrews), A Davidson (Charleton).

81 S Riva (Italy), G Dunsmore (Saline), B Kinsley (St Andrews), J Shaw (Kingussie), C Anderson (Sandyhills), K Baptie (Duff House Royal), E Bradley (Mount Ellen), G Nordio (Italy), K Prentice (Lanark), C Mitchell (Lundin)..

82 G Stewart (Crieff), E Donaldson (Craigielaw), C Beveridge (Troon Welbeck), P Horsting (Royal St George's), D Kunecki (Callander), S Walter (West Linton), A Scott (Lanark)..

83 D Thompsett (Aboyne), A Frey (Crieff), A MacVicar (Glencruitten).

84 J Walker (Fraserburgh), D Eardley (Liberton), K Kulokorpr (Finland), L Mutch (Duff House Royal), B Anderson (Woodhall Spa), T Schofield (Barbados), S Harrower (Kinross), L Chambers (Cardross), J Brown (Cathcart Castle), K Debuire (France).

85 C Forrest (Northumberland), F Lauder (Paisley), G Burns (Williamwood)..

86 C Chalmers (Lenzie).

87 F Davren (Williamwood).

88 B Murphy (Lanark), L Murray (Troon Welbeck), C Farrell (Cardross).

89 J Hogg (Germany).

92 T Binning (Ranfurly Castle), E Waugh (Whitecraigs).