Forsyth leads Scots’ challenge

ALASTAIR Forsyth was the highest-placed Scot in the Saint-Omer Open presented by Neuflize OBC after a one over par second round 72 left him one under overall.

The 36-year-old had four birdies and five bogeys in wet and windy conditions at Aa Saint Omer Golf Club to lie five shots off the lead held by Korean Sihwan Kim.

Forsyth’s compatriot Raymond Russell was well placed after the first round, but struggled to a four over par 75 on day two to slip back to one over par overall, while Craig Lee signed for a 72 to go to two over, the same score as Lloyd Saltman, who had a 74.

Chris Doak was the only other Scottish player to make the halfway cut at five over, while Steven O’Hara, Jamie McLeary and Andrew McArthur were all forced to withdraw with injuries.

Joint-overnight leader Kim moved clear at the top after a second-round 69. The South Korean had shared top spot with Englishmen Adam Gee and Simon Wakefield on Thursday but his rivals both carded one-over rounds of 72 to drop into a tie for third.

Kim, starting at the tenth with eight successive pars before he birdied the 18th and also the eighth and nine – dropping his solitary shot at the par-three second, took advantage to move to six under as conditions became tougher later in the day.

The 23-year-old, playing his first season in Europe, could have been playing in the US Open in California this week but earlier this month he was the unlucky player to miss out in a five-man play-off at Walton Heath.

“I’ve been having horrendous luck for the last two weeks and I was really gutted to miss out in that play-off,” he said. “So I’m happy that I’m getting a bit luckier this week and if I could do well here it would make up for it a bit. It would be nice to get some payback for that one.”

Darren Fichardt moved into second place after he too carded a 69.