Scottish duo off to solid starts in Faldo Series final in UAE

Scottish duo Cameron Adam and Cameron Gallagher are both sitting inside the top 10 after the opening round of the Faldo Series Europe Grand Final in the United Arab Emirates.

Among five players flying the Saltire in the event at Al Ain Golf Club, Royal Burgess youngster Adam opened with a one-under 69 to sit three shots off the lead in joint-sixth, while Longniddry lad Gallagher is in a share of ninth after his 70.

On a day when Toby Bishop from Wales and England’s George Goddard carded matching 66s to set the pace, Adam birdied the first before running up a triple-bogey 7 at the next but then birdied three in a row to repair that damage.

Coming home, the winner of the under-16 section in the Faldo Seroes Scotland Championship at Bruntsfield Links earlier in the year, dropped a shot at the 11th before making birdies at the 12th and 18th.

Meanwhile, Gallagher, who won the under-18 title in the capital event, signed for two birdies and two bogeys - both at par-5s – in his equally-encouraging opening salvo.

Aberdour’s Hamish Gorn had to settle for a four-over 74 after starting with a double-bogey 6 while Alison Muirhead (Murrayfield) and Rachel Foster (Prestwick St Nicholas) carded 75 and 77 respectively on a day when Faldo took in the action before conducting a clinic. “All in all, I’ve been hugely impressed with the golf and am looking forward to what the next two days will bring,” said the six-time major winner.

Elsewhere, Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling and Jack Broun both finished runners-up in their respective events in the Telegraph Vitality Junior Golf Championships at PGA Catalunya, near Girona. Darling closed with a 69 to end up just two shots behind English winner Sophie Johnson.