25/07/12
Greig Marchbank, last year’s SGU Boys’ Order of Merit winner, moved menacingly into a share of the lead after day two of the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship at Cardross.
The Dumfries & County player, currently eighth on this year’s Order of Merit, posted a five-under-par halfway total after following his opening 70 with a sparkling 67.
Marchbank birdied the last three holes to catapult himself to the top of the field, a lead shared by Ryan Walsh of Kirkcaldy after he went even lower with a best-of-the-week five-under-par 66.
The Fifer bogeyed the first hole for the second day running, but replied with six birdies to ensure he and Marchbank boast a three-shot lead over Ewan Scott (St Andrews).
“I’m in a great position going into tomorrow. More of the same and we’ll see what happens,” said Marchbank.
Overnight leader Scott, the Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths champion, added a two-over-par 73 to his opening 67 to sit third on his own and still very much in the mix for the under-18 national title.
Jake Scott (Buckpool), a quarter-finalist in the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys at Murcar Links in April, and Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) are the only other players under par.
Anthony Blaney (Liberton), like Marchbank and Scott a SGU National Boys’ Squad player, is well-placed at level par after two 71s, the same mark as Craig Chalmers (Lenzie).
Peebles’ Craig Howie, meanwhile, bidding to become the first player to win the Boys’ Stroke Play and Match Play crowns in the same year since Cardross’ Scott Henry in 2004, has ground to make up with the Borderer at five-over-par in a tie for 26th place.
The cut fell at seven-over-par with Calum Hill (Tantallon) and ex-Scottish Boys champion David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) among those to miss out at nine-over and 12-over respectively. The final 36 holes of the event are played tomorrow.