Golf: McAlpine just two off lead

By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Mar 2010, 08:50 BST
Updated 2nd Mar 2010, 11:37 BST
KEVIN McALPINE, the former double Scottish champion, was handily placed at the halfway stage of The Master Golf Championship at Archerfield Links, writes MARTIN DEMPSTER.

McAlpine, who turned professional towards the end of last year, opened the event for professionals aged 26 and under with a 70 to lie just two shots behind the leader, Dannny Belch.

Ian Gregory was lying third on 72, with Dale Marmion, a former winner on the PGA EuroPro Tour, alongside Stephen Clarke and James Westwood on 73.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Greg McBain, winner of a similar event at the East Lothian venue last October, shot a 74, one better than Turnhouse trainee James McGhee and fellow Scots David Laing and Steven Hume.

Lloyd Saltman, playing over his home course, looked to have left himself with a mountain to climb in today's second round after he could only manage a 77 in his opening round, while younger brother Zack signed for an 80.

In the amateur event, tournament host David Platt was setting the pace, the former England fooball star amassing 35 Stableford points in his first round to lead by a point from Ben Trengove and Liam Jeffrey.

• MIDLOTHIAN will face Stirling & Clackmannan in the East Junior Girls' Inter-County Matches for the Cuthbertson Cup at Ratho Park next month.

East Lothian take on Fife in the other opening tie on Sunday, 18 April, with the two winners meeting in the afternoon to decide the title.

NEW Midlothian squad member Arlene McGarty bounced back from a broken arm she suffered last autumn to win the Scottish Universities Ladies' Golf Association's Stableford competition at Troon Portland.