Could tartan triumph be on cards in Scottish Challenge at Newmachar?

It’s not far off two years since the Challenge Tour’s last Scottish success and, with a former Dunhill Links champion among a posse of Danes lurking ominously, there is no guarantee whatsoever that a tartan triumph is on the cards at Newmachar this weekend.

But, at the halfway stage in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A, there is certainly reason to feel optimistic as far as the prospect of a home winner is concerned, and that’s all you can really ask for on the DP World Tour’s ultra-competitive feeder circuit.

Buoyed by qualifying for The Open at Royal Troon last month, albeit falling agonisingly short of making the cut in his hometown after missing a par putt on the final green in the second circuit, Jack McDonald shares the lead in the £250,000 event after posting opening rounds of 66 and 67 to sit on nine under par.

Ayrshireman Jack McDonald in action during the second round of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Newmachar Golf Club. Picture: Paul Devlin/Getty Images.

“It’s quite tricky as the wind is gusting quite a lot,” said the 31-year-old of his efforts so far on the Hawkshill Course at the Aberdeenshire venue, where his halfway total was matched later in the day by Lucas Bjerregaard after his bogety-free 64. “I’ve played nice and solid, so hopefully it will keep going.”

As he bids to stay out in front over the weekend, McDonald is hoping to feed off the memories of a past win at this venue, having shot rounds of 69-65-66 for a 16-under-par total to come out on top in an event on the now defunct PGA EuroPro Tour in 2019.

“I’ve always been a fan of this place and it’s nice to shoot a couple of good rounds,” he added. “It’s not really changed, it’s only the eighth hole that’s moved from a par 5 to par 4, which makes it an awkward hole.”

This is McDonald’s 75th start on the Challenge Tour and, though he’s only managed to record two top-ten finishes, including second in Finland just under a year ago, qualifying for The Open and giving a good account of himself alongside two past Troon winners in Justin Leonard and Todd Hamilton seems to have put a spring in his step.

“My putting,” said the former Walker Cup player in reply to being what had been the strength to his game so far this week. “Pace putting was really good and I holed out well, which made up for a couple of loose shots that I hit. I feel as if when the putter’s going well, everything kind of clicks, which is nice, so it was good for that to happen.”

Euan Walker, a fellow honorary member at Kilmarnock (Barassie), was the last Scot to taste success on the second-tier circuit and becoming the first home player since David Law in 2018 to land this particular title would catapult McDonald into the top 25 in the all-important Road to Mallorca Rankings.

“I’ll just try and play the course the way I have been,” he said of his plan of attack for the final 36 holes, having only dropped two shots so far by expertly plotting his way round what is one of the most strategic courses on the circuit’s far-flung schedule. “I’ll try and commit to every shot and see how it goes.”

Though Bjerregaard, the Dunhill Links winner in 2018, and Hamish Brown - his dad Marcus hails from Blairgowrie - are among those Danes looking in the mood to add more success after so many title triumphs across various circuits in recent years, McDonald isn’t alone feeling he might give home fans something to shout about on Sunday night.

Taking up where he left off when finishing fourth in the Irish Challenge last weekend, Ryan Lumsden is handily-placed on five under, one ahead of Tartan Pro Tour Order of Merit leader Graeme Robertson while Craig Howie and Calum Fyfe are both on three under.

“It’s been an interesting couple of days,” admitted Lumsden as he reflected on opening rounds of 67-70. “There’s been some very good stuff, but what I find interesting around this place is your average to mediocre shots get punished more than you are used to probably, especially off the tee.

“But that’s why this place is a great test. It’s not particularly what we are used to, so I think it is going to provide a really good challenge over the weekend and I think the guy who can hit a lot of really great golf shots is going to separate himself from the guy who is hitting the average to solid shots.”