Golf: Gullane ace Wilson off and running in bid for double

GULLANE'S Alexander Wilson has two titles in his sights this week as he prepares to yo-yo between East Lothian and The Braids.

During the day he's competing in the US Kids' Golf European Championship and launched his challenge with a 74 at Luffness New to sit three shots behind leader Tom Bayliss in the main boys' section.

And, at night, his focus is turning to the Lothians Boys' Championship, which saw Wilson among the first-round winners last night as he swept aside Liberton's Scott Finlay.

He now meets Craigielaw's Willem Kerr, who was let off the hook by Drew McIntosh - the Ratho Park youngster finished 5-6 - as he scraped through at the 19th. In another close match, Lewis Bain won the all-Turnhouse encounter with Connor Black at the second extra hole. He now faces Tantallon's Alasdair Simpson, who made a great 3 into the wind at the 12th en route to a hard-earned one-hole win over Sean Walter from West Linton.

Dunbar's Michael Boddie won the last with a birdie to pull off a surprise win over Euan Bowden of the Glen, setting up a second-round clash with Royal Musselburgh's Stuart Blair.

In a match that lived up to its billing, Blair beat Bathgate's Louis Gaughan 2 and 1.

West Linton's Fraser Thain made a surprise exit at the hands of Dalmahoy's Calum Cochrane, who now takes on Finlay McCall after the Baberton player beat Blair Todd of Greenburn.

First round: W Kerr (Craigielaw) bt D McIntosh (Ratho Park) at 19th; A Wilson (Gullane) bt S Finlay (Liberton); A Simpson (Tantallon) bt S Walter (West Linton) one hole; L Bain (Turnhouse) bt C Black (Turnhouse) two holes; M Boddie (Dunbar) bt E Bowden (The Glen) one hole; S Blair (Royal Musselburgh) bt L Gaughan (Bathgate) 2 and 1; C Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy) bt F Thain (West Linton) 2 and 1; F McCall (Baberton) bt B Todd (Greenburn) 2 and 1.