Scots quartet into second round in South Africa

ON-FORM Ewan Scott was one of four Scottish winners in the first-round of the South African Amateur Championship at Johannesburg Country Club.

Joint fifth in the recent stroke-play equivalent, the Scottish Youths’ champion from St Andrews swept aside Murray Smit 5 and 4 to set up a second-round clash today with another home challenger, Hennie du Plessis.

Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson, Fraser McKenna of Balmore and Cawder challenger Jamie Savage are also through to the last 32 in an event that has produced Scottish winners in Michael Stewart and Brian Soutar in the last two years.

Robertson won an all-Scottish clash with Downfield’s Ross Bell by 2 and 1, the same margin Savage recorded against Royal Durban’s Ruben Coetzer. McKenna, last year’s Scottish Champion of Champions winner, progressed by 4 and 2 over another South African, Keegan De Lange.

Five other Scots made early exits, including Pollok’s Conor O’Neil, who went down 3 and 2 to Jovan Rebula, the 15-year-old nephew of Ernie Els. McDonald’s Adam Dunton lost at the 19th while former Scottish champion Graham Gordon (Newmachar) and Aberdour’s Scott Crichton also bowed out.