Saltman hoping short drive to Cardrona pays dividends

Published on Wednesday 25 June 2008 10:28

LLOYD SALTMAN returns to action on home soil tomorrow in the European Challenge Tour's £174,000 Scottish golf challenge at the Macdonald Cardrona resort near Peebles.

The Craigielaw rookie, who claimed a season-best share of second in the Reale Challenge de Espana in Madrid earlier this month, is one of a host of Lothians hopefuls competing for the fifth biggest prize fund on the second tier circuit.

Saltman has good memories of the Borders course, having shared fourth place as an amateur in this event a year ago, and the former Walker Cup star, 22, said: "It's great to have the competition almost on my doorstep and it's nice to be back in Scotland after quite a bit of early-season travelling. This week I'm staying at home and driving down to Cardrona each day and, hopefully, that kind of laid-back preparation will see me up in contention at the top of the leaderboard."

Saltman is joined in an impressive field by big brother Elliot, a runner-up on the PGA EuroPro Tour this year, Edinburgh's 2001 PGA champion Andrew Oldcorn and Prestonpans' Raymond Russell, another former European Tour winner.

David Drysdale of Dunbar and Dalmahoy's Jamie McLeary, runner-up in the Scottish Challenge last year, also compete as does Swanston's Scottish Amateur champion John Gallagher.

Other top Scots in the line-up include Glasgow's Andrew McArthur, a winner on the Challenge Tour this month, former US Amateur champ Richie Ramsay and the in-form Chris Doak, a six-time winner on the Tartan Tour this season.