Golf round-up: Glover stays ahead as weather closes in

LUCAS Glover remained in front on the final morning of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but the anticipated bad weather forced the players to head back to the clubhouse early.

The start of play had been brought forward to accommodate the predicted inclement conditions, but Glover had played just five holes when he was sent back inside.

He remained on 14 under par, level over the five holes yesterday, but saw his two-shot lead halved, with a trio of players on his shoulder.

Billy Horschel and DA Points both trimmed a shot off par over six holes to close the gap, but it was a three-under over six from Boo Weekley that caught the eye.

The American birdied the first, second and fifth to move right into contention, while Ken Looper will feel similarly confident after going two under over six to move to 12 under.

Neil is the clear winner at Arbroath

AMATEUR GOLF: Bradley Neil followed up his Scottish Boys’ Championship success earlier in the month by storming to an eight-shot win in the first Scottish Junior Tour event of the season at Arbroath.

Five clear of the field after opening rounds of 68 and 66 in Angus, the Blairgowrie teenager closed with a 73 for a three-under-par total.

He finished well clear of Dumfries & County’s Connor Syme (75) in second, while a best-of-the day 71 by Ewen Ferguson from Bearsden earned him a share of third with St Andrews’ Ben Kinsley (75) on 216.

Deeside’s Craig Lawrie, second overnight, signed off with a 78 to finish joint-fifth with Tantallon’s Calum Hill (72) on 217.

Byrne misses out on second victory

ASIAN TOUR: Banchory’s James Byrne missed out on a second win of the season on the Asian Development Tour at the weekend despite taking a four-shot lead into the final round of the Langkawi Masters in Malaysia.

A closing 77 dropped the Scot into a tie for sixth as Mitsuhiko Hashizume became the first Japanese to win on the circuit when he defeated Candian Lindsay Renolds, of Canada, on the second play-off hole.

Byrne, who had put himself in pole position after impressive opening rounds of 64, 65 and 69, finished on 275 – three behind Hashizume and Renolds.

“Wasn’t my day today,” Byrne said on Twitter. “But nobody died – I just had a bad round of golf. It certainly won’t be the last. Already looking forward to Jakarta [venue for this week’s Indonesian Masters].”