8am Round-Up: Paul Lawrie to host Scottish Par 3 event

Paul Lawrie, this year's Dimension Data Pro-Am winner, is hoping to attract a strong field for the par-3 event

The 36-hole tournament will be played at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen, with the host licking his lips at the prospect of what he believes will be an exciting shoot-out.

“I’m delighted that Aberdeen Asset Management has agreed to become title sponsor of this year’s event,” said Lawrie.

“They’ve been incredible supporters of golf – both professional and amateur – at home and abroad over a long period of time and this is  further evidence of their on-going commitment to golf at all levels of the game.

“I’ve already spoken to a number of my fellow European Tour players as well as some LET pros and guys from the Challenge, Seniors, EuroPro, and EPD Tours, so we’ll look to gather as strong a field as possible to tee up in what will be a great event.”

***

Martin Laird is just two shots off the lead after the first round of the Quicken Loans National after a topsy-turvy 67 in Washington.

The Scot signed for eight birdies and five bogeys in the three-under-par effort to sit joint-eighth on a packed leaderboard in the PGA Tour event.

Laird had only two pars on the front nine, which he covered in 32 with birdies at the first, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth.

Swede David Lingmerth leads on 65, Troy Merritt, Marc Leishman, Johnson Wanger, Sung Kang, Nick Taylor and Daniel Summerhays.

***

Colin Montgomerie had a mixed bag as he ended up nine shots behind pacesetter Kirk Triplett in the US Senior Open.

Montgomerie’s opening 71 at Salem County Club, near Boston, included three birdies, a double-bogey and two bogeys.

The Scot sits in a tie for 57th, well behind Triplett after the American carded an eagle and six birdies in his nine-under 62.

He leads by one from Olin Browne, with former Scottish Seniors champion Barry Lane tied for fourth after a 65.

***

Catriona Matthew was among a group of players unable to complete their opening rounds in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Olympia Fields due to bad weather in Illinois.

The Scottish No 1 has one hole to play, sitting on two-over after making a birdie at the eighth - her 17th - before play was suspended for the day.

Matthew, who finished second in this event in 2013, had been one-under early on in her round before running up three bogeys in seven holes.

South Korea’s Chella Choi holds the clubhouse lead after posing a five-under 65.

***

Kris Nicol is the new Scottish Young Pros champion after pipping Alastair Forsyth at the post in an exciting finish at West Lothian.

Nicol, who is attached to the Dunes Golf Centre, closed with rounds of 69 and 70 for a seven-under 277 total, beating Forsyth (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) by a shot.

Forsyth, who qualifies for the event as he undergoes his PGA training, led by a shot going into the final round before eventually ruing a bogey at the 17th as Nicol, in contrast, covered the last five holes in two under.

***

John Henry (Clydebank & District) is sitting joint fifth, three shots off the lead, heading into the last round of the PGA EuroPro Tour’s Grenke Championship at Cumberwell Park.

Henry catapulted himself into contention on the back of a six-under-par 65 in the second circuit.

***

Liam Johnston (Dumfries & County), Rory Franssen (Inverness) and Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) are all in contention at halfway in the European Amateur at Walton Heath.

Scottish Stroke-Play champion Johnston and Palmer Cup player Franssen are tied for sixth, two off the lead, while Scottish No 1 MacIntyre is a shot further back in joint-15th.

St Andrews Links Trophy winner Matthew Jordan (Royal Liverpool) sits in a share of fourth, one shot behind three joint-leaders.