Reunion with college coach pays off for Scott Jamieson

Scott Jamieson carded a flawless 66 in the second round of the True Thailand Classic. Picture: Ian Walton/Getty Images

The 32-year-old carded a flawless six-under-par 66 at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin to sit joint-third, two shots behind Peter Uihlein as the American maintained his recent resurgence.

“It was a great start after four weeks off,” admitted Jamieson, who, having teed off at the tenth, made his score with a run of five straight birdies from the 16th before also picking up a shot at the sixth.

“You are never quite sure what to expect after a long break, but I spent 12 days in Florida in the middle of that to keep my eye in.”

It was during that trip that he also spent some time with Josh Gregory, Jamieson’s coach when he was at Augusta State and now working independently as a performance coach.

“Great fun and productive practice,” tweeted Jamieson at the time after the pair had met up in Orlando, and he was delighted to see that pay off instantaneously in the heat of battle.

“I’m making a few changes in my backswing, which is still very much a work in progress, but it’s encouraging to see some good stuff under the gun,” added the Glaswegian.

“I also did a lot of short game and scoring stuff while I was out in the States to keep sharp because, as we all know, a Scottish winter has its limitations.”

On a day when Uihlein carded nine birdies to set the pace, Thai-based Simon Yates (67) and Marc Warren (68) joined Jamieson is putting Saltires inside the top 15 but Andrew McArthur (74) and Craig Lee (75) are facing fights to avoid early exits.

Elsewhere, Scottish duo Pamela Pretswell and Sally Watson are sitting last of 15 teams after a disastrous opening day in the World Ladies Championship at Mission Hills in China. Pretswell posted a 78 while Watson crashed to an 86 to leave the pair sitting five shots adrift of the field when play was suspended due to darkness.

In the individual event, Carly Booth (75) and Kylie Walker, three-over with five to play, were the only ones out of five Scots sitting above the projected cut mark. South Korea’s Ji Han Sol was the clubhouse leader on 68.

Meanwhile, former Northern Open champion Peter Smith defied being the oldest player in the field to sit in a tie for 10th after the opening round of the New Zealand Open.

The 56-year-old from Aberdeenshire carded a two-under 70 at Queenstown to trail the leader, Steve Jones, by four shots.