Byrne three shots off pace in Finland

JAMES Byrne shares eighth place at the halfway stage of the European Amateur championship at the Linna club in Finland.

The Banchory youngster, who tied for eighth in last year's event, hit a two-under 70 for a five-under 139 to sit three shots behind joint leaders, Morten Madsen of Denmark and English champion Tommy Fleetwood.

Motherwell's Ross Kellett lags 11 shots off the pace on 145 after a 71 while Philip McLean, Kris Nicol and new Scottish champion Michael Stewart all sit on the 147 mark.

Meanwhile, Montrose's Graeme Brown won the Tartan Tour's Meldrum House Young Professionals' Pro-Am yesterday. The former Scotland amateur cap fired a two-under 68 and won by a shot from Iain Colquhoun of Dundonald Links.