Golf: Brady in the winning bunch after late call

The Baberton 17-year-old, who'd known since the draw was made that he was first reserve, feared he'd missed out on his chance of playing in the 70th staging of the event. Indeed, he was close to heading down to Durham to visit his uncle when the call finally came at 10.30am on Monday morning.

Less than 24 hours later, he was on the first tee at the East Lothian course to face Lochgilphead's Russell Calladine and, despite being two down with five holes to play, Brady turned the tie around by winning four holes in a row to record a superb 2 and 1 success.

"I was just happy to get into the event so it was a bonus to win," admitted the fifth-year Currie High pupil.

One player who was much better prepared than Brady was Blair Shearer, who has entered the event out of home club Gifford but is the junior champion at Dunbar. In addition to that, the 17-year-old is also a trainee greenkeeper at the East Lothian course so probably knows the greens better than any player in the field.

Even Shearer admitted the windy conditions were difficult on day two, but he was delighted with a 3 and 2 first-round win over Peterculter's Andrew Carrell. "It was really tricky out there, especially off the back tees," said Shearer, a first-round casualty at West Kilbride 12 months ago. "The 11th was almost playing like a par-5 and I needed a 3-wood for my second shot there."

Also among the first-round winners was Fraser Thain, who plays a lot of his golf in East Lothian even though his home club is West Linton.

The 17-year-old, who is coached by Colin Brooks and reached the third round a year ago, launched his title bid with a 3 and 2 success over Prestwick St Cuthbert's Greg Telfer.

That earned Thain a tasty-looking second-round encounter with Liam Johnston, one of the eight seeds and a match-play specialist, having reached the quarter-finals in the Scottish Amateur last summer.

"It's a tough one but, at the same time, I don't think Liam will be fancying coming up against me at this stage," said Thain. Craigielaw's Grant Forrest, the defending champion, is already through to the third round, as are Louis Gaughan of Bathgate, Newbattle's Lee Morgan and Aodan Donnelly of Turnhouse.

In an all-East Lothian clash with Gullane's Michael Williams, Forrest lost the first to a gimme eagle but, helped by back-to-back wins at the ninth and tenth, he went on to record a 4 and 2 win and, unlike most other players, Forrest was facing only one match today and admitted: "Hopefully that will help me keep a bit fresher for later in the week."

Gaughan and Morgan both won their second matches 3 and 2 and, in doing so, set up a head-to-head clash on day three. In the last match out on the course, 16-year-old Donnelly looked to be heading out when he was two down with two to play against Callander's Greg McLellan. But the Watsonians pupil birdied the 17th, also won the last with a 5 then clinched victory with an eagle-3 at the first extra hole.

"I had also made a 3 there at the start of the round," revealed a delighted Donnelly.