Golf: Chris Kelly defies downpour at Deer Park

CHRIS Kelly (Cawder) leads the field at the halfway stage of the 36-hole Deer Park Masters after a scintillating round of nine-under-par 63 at the Livingston venue.

Kelly made the most of the slightly less damp conditions for the second shotgun starters and he birdied the second, fourth, fifth, eigthth, tenth, 12th, 13th, 14th and 17th without a single bogey. Former Walker Cup man David Patrick (Elie Sports Centre) had headed the first shotgun starters in the rain with a 64 which he studded with an eagle 3, at the long 12th, and birdies at the first, fifth, sixth, eighth, tenth and 14th. Patrick, like Kelly, had no bogeys.

Meanwhile top seed Sophie Maguire, of the local St Regulus club, cleared her first match-play hurdle in the St Andrews Junior Ladies Open tournament over the Eden Course yesterday. But Lianna Bailey (Notts Ladies), the second leading qualifier, was beaten 5 and 4 by the 15th qualifier, Eleanor Tunn, from Reay.

Maguire also won her match 5 and 4, beating the last of the 16 qualifiers, Shannen McGuire (Canmore). The third and fourth seeds, Miranda Brain (Gog Magog) and Stephanie Farrar (Sandiway), also failed to survive their opening ties.