Wright on form after a fine start at foggy Gleneagles

WEST LINTON'S Gareth Wright led the Lothians challenge as almost half the field returned to Gleneagles early this morning to complete their opening rounds in the Johnnie Walker Championship.The Tartan Tour player shot a two-under-par 70 over the PGA Centenary Course to sit in a tie for 21st after play was delayed for nearly two-and-a-half hours due to early-morning fog in Perthshire. Wright, whose dad Ian is the pro at West Linton, secu red his place in the European Tour event through the PGA Scottish Region last year.

But the Welshman is no stranger to playing at this level and he bagged five birdies in producing a splendid opening effort in the £1.4?million event.

"I'm very pleased overall - it's a good start," said Wright, who reckoned a group that included two of his Tartan Tour colleagues - David Patrick and Scott Henderson - had worked in his favour.

"While I won't deny I was feeling nervous on the first tee, I think that was an advantage and if I'm still around for the weekend I might get drawn with a big name then," he added.

Former Mortonhall man Patrick was also going along nicely at one time, having covered his opening 11 holes in three-under. But back-to-back double bogeys led to him having to settle for a 74.

Stephen Gallacher, who just got finished before play was stopped around 8:30pm, signed for the same score after he ran up a quadruple-bogey 8 at the eighth.

The Saltman brothers, Elliot and Lloyd Saltman, both had 73s earlier in the day, while Paul McKechnie and David Drysdale were level-par and three-over respectively as they resumed this morning.

View the original article here

Golf: Alastair Forsyth's sights on top-ten finish after closing eagle

IT was a contender for shot of the day. From exactly 250 yards to the pin at the 18th on the PGA Centenary Course, Alastair Forsyth cut a 3-wood around a tree to 20 feet and holed the putt for a closing eagle-3.
It gave the Scot an opening 70, two-under, and marked a decent start in his bid to secure a big enough cheque in Perthshire to earn a place back at the top table in European golf next season.

A two-time Tour winner, Forsyth has had to rely mainly

on invites this term after losing his card last year. By his reckoning, he needs to win around £70,000 to finish in the all-important top 115 on the money-list. He's 133rd at the moment.

The problem is that he might not secure too many starts between now and the end of the season. To get into next week's European Masters in Switzerland, he needs a top-ten finish here. "I'm trying not to put extra pressure on myself, but every chance I get is important," admitted the 35-year-old before heading off to take in last night's Europa League qualifier at Ibrox.

"A top-ten is my first target as that would get me into next week but there's no doubting the fact that the chance to earn enough money this week to get my card back is an extra incentive.

"I'm not someone who is obsessed with looking at the money-list and I'm certainly not the type to wish ill on others.

"But I am aware that there are a lot of guys below me at the moment who are going to get twice as many opportunities as I'm likely to get between now and the end of the season."

Forsyth's effort, which he described as "up and down" with a "nice finish", was one better than both Gary Orr and Chris Doak, the latter having been up at 5am for a scheduled 7.30am start only to be left kicking his heels for a spell due to the early-morning fog delay. "I went back up to the Dormy House for a second breakfast," he said with a smile. He's getting used to weather delays. "This is the third event in a row it's happened," revealed the Team Scottish Hydro player. "On the Challenge Tour in both Denmark and Norway we were delayed by rain."

Doak said his day had been "a bit of struggle". His main problem was judging the pace of the greens.

"They were faster than they had been in practice," he said in ruing the three putts he took at the first, seventh and tenth.

West Linton's Gareth Wright, the player Doak beat to claim the Scottish PGA Championship on the neighbouring King's Course last October, also made a decent start.

The Welshman was three-under with one to play but found trouble off the tee at the 18th and had to play out sideways.

View the original article here

Golf: Cap Allyn doubt after the close of the first round

The star in the LOTHIANS he could miss out on a second Scotland CAP after suffering shock first round Exit, Ayrshire in Scottish amateur tournaments Allyn Dick is afraid of.
Kingsknowe man secured the first home appearance when they have reached the fifth round of the exploration of the SGU flagship event in Gullane is a year ago.

But he was, inter alia, of their wounds, the opening of this licking time around after a loss:

Rowallan Castle in the 19th century by Neil black.

"I am very disappointed," admitted the Dick, who bemoaned the bad day for the Greens, such as the introduction of the cause, he tried the surfaces of the pace.

Two down with two to play, the 2010 won the champion of the Lothians and in the 17th-18th century, after a three-putted each of your opponent. But lately, the Newlands Trophy winner threw away the jail card, do, for exactly the same, in the 19th century.

Dick, "I was pinned to my hopes for this run to try and secure a place in the Scotland team, made my, good" is added.

"But that has now been totally smashed, and I am now, I hope that we look at the broader picture will depend on the selectors."

Dick was not the only player to suffer the extra Lothians-hole on the coast of Ayrshire, the opening day of agony.

Longniddry's Michael first match in the 19th century the Bacigalupo lost at and, later on, the left-hander Swanston new, Malcolm Campbell, and Gullane's John Miller also tasted defeat device there in rapid succession. But at the very least, it proved to be the happy hunting ground for Ross at Craigielaw, this season the Lothians merit runaway market leader.

the 24-year-old lost the opening three holes in Williston, ND: n Finlay, before the cue ball back, against the White, three-hole with his own successful salvo.

One more down to the last play, his opponent is the am off the bounds, but then to take a big birdie on his second ball remain.

Par proved to be good enough after the 19th century, the man Lothians White was pulled from his thick coarse tea. Tomahawk

"Three years in succession, I had the opponent-Ross Bell-played in the first round and lost forever in the 18th," said Bell.

"It is good to get through to the last, and there is no doubt that my third, finished the Newlands Trophy recently has helped me with this level safely."

Zander Culverwell, 2006 champion was also in the Lothians, as did James Ross and Steve Smith, two of the beaten finalists in this case, over the last few years.

View the original article here