Golf: Hillson gives himself chance at Scottish strokeplay event

CRAIGIELAW golfer Mark Hillson was happy to have given himself "something to build on" in today's second round of the Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship at Glasgow Gailes.

The former Lothians champion shot an opening 72, one-over-par, in Ayrshire and was much happier with himself than he was at the same stage in the Lytham Trophy earlier this month.

"I've been good at turning decent rounds into anything between 74 and 78," he said. "Lytham was a prime example as I shot a 78 after two double-bogeys late in the round.

"This was a similar type of round but I've ended it with a positive feeling."

Hillson had three birdies – at the eighth, 12th and 17th – but dropped shots at the second, sixth, tenth and 13th.

"The bogey at the second was disappointing as I was in the middle of the fairway with my drive, while the one at the tenth stemmed from a flyer out of the heather," said the East Lothian man. "I had 150 yards to the pin and hit a 9-iron that flew 170 yards."

Australian Jordan Zunic, one of Hillson's playing partners, shot a 68 to lie two off the lead, held by English teenager Chris Lloyd.

"The only real difference between us was that he holed a few putts," said Hillson.

James Ross, who lost to Hillson in the final when he won the Lothians title at Bruntsfield Links, had a costly triple-bogey 7 at the ninth in his 75, the same score posted by Craigielaw's Myles Cunningham.

"I blocked my tee shot and the rest wasn't pretty either," said the Royal Burgess 20-year-old Ross, playing in only his second tournament since returning from Michigan State University for the summer.

"I was looking for better than a 75 but something around par or even under par will hopefully see me through to the final two rounds and then make some sort of charge."

Mortonhall's Greg Nicolson had a 77, one less than Dunbar's Zander Culverwell, another former Lothians champion, and Sean McGarvey of Glencorse. "I had too many bogeys and not enough birdies," he said.

Out in the third last match, The Glen's Neil Henderson signed for a 78, while Tom Blennerhasset, Dalmahoy's former Lothians boys' champion, had an 82 after he earned a late spot in the field.