8am Round-Up: Scottish trio make cut in Australian PGA

Stephen Gallacher comfortably made the cut and was set to be joined by both Bradley Neil and Ross Kellett in the final two rounds of the Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Stephen Gallacher carded a three-under 69 in his second round at RACV Royal Pines Resort in Queensland. Picture: Getty Images

Gallacher added a three-under 69 to his steady 72 on Thursday to sit on three-under for the event and looking as though he’d be inside the top 20 heading into the weekend at the RACV Royal Pines Resort.

The 2014 Ryder Cup player was one-under for his second round before reeling off three consecutive birdies from the seventh to turn in 32.

He then moved to five-under for the tournament and into the top 10 before dropping shots at both the 17th and 18th in a disappointing finish.

Kellett and Neil received late calls for the event but both made the long journey worthwhile as they joined Gallacher in being on the right side of the cut mark.

Among the players having to return today to complete their opening rounds after thunderstorms halted play on Thursday, Kellett opened with a 71 before heading straight back out to add a 73 to sit on level-par.

The Motherwell man was one-under after 13 holes before taking double-bogey at the 14th but, thankfully, he made it with a shot to spare.

Neil, meanwhile, displayed his growing confidence as he battled back manfully from being faced with an early exit after going out in two-over 38.

Digging deep, the 2013 Amateur champion birdied the second, eighth and ninth on his back nine for a 71 to sit a shot ahead Kellett on one-under.

Duncan Stewart, the fourth Scot in the field, was the odd one out as he was undone by two bad holes in quick succession on the back nine.

After opening with a 73, the World Cup man was out in two-under 34 before running up two double bogeys in the space of four holes from the 13th as he signed for a 75.

On four-over, the Grantown-on-Spey man was two shots outside the projected cut mark.

Australian Andrew Dodt, the overnight leader, cemented his place in top spot with a 67. It left him on 12-under, two shots ahead of compatriot Ashley Hall.

Former winner and last year’s runner-up Adam Scott carded a second consecutive 68 to sit five shots behind the leader.

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Scottish No 1 Catriona Matthew made a winning start for Trish Johnson’s LET team in The Queens presented by Kowa in Japan.

The North Berwick woman teamed up with Dane Dane Nanna Koerstz to beat Australian duo Sarah Kemp and Stacey Keating 2&1 in the third match.

The success helped the LET finish the opening day sitting joint-second behind the leaders, the Japanese LPGA.

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Gemma Dryburgh birdied the two holes to catapult herself through the field in the second round of the LPGA Qualifying School final at Daytona Beach in Florida.

After opening with a three-over 75 on the Hills Course, Dryburgh birdied the 10th, 12th and 17th after starting the Jones Course on the back nine.

She then recovered from back-to-back bogeys at the third and fourth with those two late gains.

It left Dryburgh, who jumped up 63 spots to joint-63rd, sitting on two-over for the event, three shots behind Beth Allen after the Edinburgh-based American carded a level-par 72, coming home in two-under.

Kylie Walker also signed for a 72 on the Jones Course but sits well down the field in 142nd on nine-under alongside Sally Watson (76).

England’s Mel Reid, who is coached by Kevin Craggs, fired a flawless eight-under-par 64 on the Jones Course to share the lead on 11-under with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, who took one more in her second round on the tougher Hills Course.

“Awesome performance from star pupil,” wrote Kingsfield Golf Centre-based Craggs on Twitter.

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Welshman Philip Price is a shot off the lead heading into the final round of the Champions Tour Qualifying School in Florida.

The 2002 Ryder Cup player fired a 68 in his third round at the Disney resort at Lake Buena Vista in Orlando for a nine-under 207 total.

He’s sitting joint-second behind American Scott Parel, who regained top spot as halfway leader Jim Carter slipped back following a 75.

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Laura Davies returns to the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters next week for her 10th appearance on the spin.

“Just because you get a bit older doesn’t mean you can’t still compete week-in, week-out. All I want to do is win. My enthusiasm is still right there,” she said ahead of the season-ending LET event, which starts next Wednesday at Emirates Golf Club.