Connor Graham and Daniel Bullen off to solid starts in Boys' Amateur

Blairgowrie’s Connor Graham made a promising start in the Boys’ Amateur Championship on his return to Monifieth Links, where he won the R&A Junior Open by five shots last month.

Blairgowrie's Connor Graham opened with a two-under 69 at Monifieth Links in the qualifying for the R&A Boys' Amateur Championship. Picture: Scottish Golf

In the first of two stroke-play qualifying rounds, the 15-year-old carded a two-under-par 69 to sit just outside the top ten alongside fellow Scot Daniel Bullen (Auchterarder).

Graham’s card contained an eagle and four birdies while Bullen, who reached the semi-finals at Royal St George’s last year, signed for four birdies.

Swede August Petersson and Reis Suart, a member of Welwyn Garden City, where Nick Faldo cut his golfing teeth, took pride of place on day one with matching 66s at Monifieth Links.

At Panmure, the other qualifying venue before the match-play action switches to Carnoustie, Suart’s compatriot, Jake Plumb of Gog Magog, and Spaniard Jorge Siyuan Hao led the way with two-under 68s.

Scottish Amateur champion Oliver Mukherjee opened with a one-over 72 at Monifieth, where his brother Sam signed for a 74.

The players switch venues for the second round, with the top 64 and ties progressing to the knock-out stage, which, for the boys, starts on Thursday.

The entire girls’ event is taking place at Carnoustie, where Spaniard Paula Martin Sampedro shot a two-under 69 to lead by one from England’s Maggie Whitehead (Close House).

R&A Girls’ Under-16 Open winner Grace Crawford (West Links Junior) and Ailsa Brannock (Southerness) are the top Scots after seven-over 78s.

There was also a French win in the Scottish Boys’ Under-14s Open as Tom De Herrypon landed that title at Troon Darley.