Golf: Dick admits misdemeanour but honesty pays off in end

Just as Davis did on the PGA Tour a few weeks ago, Dick called a penalty on himself. After leaving his ball in a greenside bunker at the 16th, the former Scottish Mid-Amateur champion kicked the sand and knew the consequences straight away. He said: "You are only cheating yourself if you do something like that and don't admit it."

Dick had to dig deep to beat the host club's John Yuille at the 22nd. Three down at the turn, Yuille clawed his way back into the game and, after coming to the last, looked to be the favourite after the tee shots.

But, after charging his first putt past the hole, he had to settle for a half there and eventually succumbed to a birdie from his opponent at the fourth extra hole.

Next up for Dick is a clash with Pumpherston's Paul Drake, who drove the ball much better on Monday in beating Alan Hogg of Dundas Parks by 5 and 4.

"I've played Paul before for Shotts, so it should be a tasty game," noted Dick, while Drake admitted he was more concerned about Dick's presence in his half of the draw than defending champion Keith Nicholson.

Bidding to lift the title for a record fifth time, Nicholson took full advantage of his opponent, Craigielaw's Martin Stein, having an off-night to make comfortable progress into the last eight with a 5 and 4 win.

By contrast, Nicholson's next opponent, Olly McCrone of Turnhouse, needed extra time to beat Swanston New's Malcolm Campbell, who was left kicking himself after three-putting the 16th when he had a golden chance to get his nose in front.

All-square playing the last, Campbell almost holed his pitch from short of the green for an eagle-2 but McCrone, who had found the putting surface with his drive, also got a birdie there before being conceded the 19th after his opponent failed to get up and down for a par.

Unfazed by seeing the big-hitting Campbell thump the ball 40 yards past him most of the night, McCrone declared: "I'd love to hit the ball that far but I just go out and play my own game."

Despite the fact he had another early rise for his work, Royal Musselburgh's Craig Johnstone chalked up what was probably the shock of the night as he beat Robert Carson of Marriott Dalmahoy by 2 and 1.

Two up after three – he birdied the second and third – Johnstone then lost the next three but, at the business end of the match, won the 14th with a birdie and was conceded an eagle-3 at the 16th.

He now faces Duddingston's David Miller, who was unable to reproduce his fireworks from the previous evening but, crucially, won three holes in a row from the eighth to lay the foundations to a 3 and 2 win over Deer Park's Alan Crawford.

For the second night in a row, Silverknowes's Paul Heggie found himself behind early on but the 24-year-old was conceded an eagle at the 16th and then birdied the 17th from six feet to beat Linlithgow's Calum Grant by 2 and 1.

Heggie's quarter-final opponent is Carrickvale's Craig Elliot, who wasn't happy with his ball striking but still managed to sweep aside Scott Johnston of Prestonfield.