Golf: Fenwick, Reid and Buckley start superbly at Cardrona

Published on Thursday 12 November 2009 08:35

FOG delayed the start of yesterday's East Alliance outing to Cardrona by 35 minutes, but 93 members still managed to complete their rounds.

There was a three-way tie in the scratch section with Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Alan Reid (West Lothian) and Ryan Buckley (Craigi-elaw) all firing four-under 68s.

Fenwick had five birdies – at the third, sixth, 12th, 14th and 18th – with his only dropped shot of the day coming at the par-3 fifth.

Reid was out in one over par 37, dropping shots at the first, seventh and eighth and picking up birdies at the third and sixth. He then stormed home in five-under-par 31, with birdies at the 12th, 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th.

Buckley had birdies at the third, sixth, 12th, 13th and 16th, with only one dropped shot at the 211- yard par-3 11th.

Winner of the Michael Allan Memorial Trophy was Haddington's Neil Bain with a net 67 playing off five.

Bain's level par round was made up of five birdies – at the first, fourth, sixth, 12th and 14th. Sharing second place on 69 were Glenbervie duo Richard Johnston and Derek Fish.

Meanwhile, Robert-Jan Derksen posted the clubhouse lead midway through the first round at the UBS Hong Kong Open today as the two-time European Tour winner carded a seven-under-par 63.

Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood and nearest challenger Rory McIlroy sit at four under in a group which also includes Mark O'Meara and China's Liang Wen-chong.

Westwood leads McIlroy by a mere 52,321 at the top of the Order of Merit with Hong Kong representing the last event ahead of the season-ending Dubai World Championship.

Last year's runner-up McIlroy, making his fifth trip to Hong Kong, dropped just one shot in the middle of his back nine but was able to finish his first round as he started it with a birdie.

Colin Montgomerie and Scott Drummond both shot 69s, one better than Simon Yates. Paul Lawrie withdrew due to injury.

MONTGOMERIE will captain Europe at next year's Royal Trophy matchplay tournament against Asia after Seve Ballesteros ruled himself out over lingering health concerns.

"Seve has invited me to captain Europe at the Royal Trophy and I am delighted to accept," Montgomerie said today. Ballesteros, who missed the 2009 event after undergoing surgery to treat a brain tumour, had said he hoped to captain the team when it plays at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand from 8-10 January. He pulled after saying he couldn't be sure he would be fully fit.