Craig Lee laments triple bogey on opening day in India

Playing in the inaugural Gujarat Kensville Challenge in Ahmedabad, the 33-year-old shot a level-par 72 to sit just outside the top 10 after the opening round.

However, he would have been closer to the leader, Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh but for a triple-bogey 7 at the first - his tenth hole - at Kensville Golf Club, which was designed by three-time European Tour winner Jeev Milkha Singh.

Lee, who secured a top-30 finish in last season's Barclays Scottish Open, has made the long journey to Asia in a bid to get his latest Challenge Tour campaign off to a flying start.

That costly hole apart, he did little wrong in his opening round of the year, repairing the damage with four birdies in all.

He finished the day as second top Scot, one shot behind Dubai-based Ross Bain, who also had trouble at the first, where he ran up a 6.

By contrast, former Scottish amateur champion Callum Macaulay birdied that hole as he matched Lee's effort, but it was a day to forget for the two other Scots in the field, Gavin Dear and Jack Doherty both slumping to 80s to sit well down the field.

Dear, playing in his first Challenge Tour event since earning a step up from the Alps Tour, recorded three double bogeys on his card, while former Australian amateur champion Doherty had the same horrible 7 as Lee at the first and also found the 13th costly as he spilled two more shots there.

Rahman took the lead after sprinkling five birdies in a flawless round.

He holds a two-shot lead over England's Danny Denison, Austrian Florian Praegant and Portugal's Ricardo Santos.

lLee Harper has ground to make up over the final 36 holes if he is to pass stage one of the Asian Tour's qualifying school.

The former Scottish Boys' champion posted a one-over 73 at Majestic Creek in Thailand for a two-over 146 and shares 42nd spot, three shots outside the current qualifying zone.

Aberdeen exile Clarke Lutton had a 75 for a 150 while Carrick on Loch Lomond pro Stephen Clark missed the cut at the Imperial Lakeview club on 159 after an 81.

lAn act of remembrance is being planned for this year's Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen to mark the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The biennial match between GB&I and the US will end on Sunday, September 11 and American captain Jim Holtgrieve is keen to recognise the date.

He said: "If I have my way, we'll do it. I don't know what the R&A will allow.

"Whether we do it during the course of play or during the closing ceremony, there will be a remembrance."