Ross Bain leads way for Scots in Thailand

ROSS Bain, Simon Dunn, Wallace Booth and Lee Harper all finished in the top 20 after the opening round of the Asian Tour's qualifying school final in Thailand yesterday.

Dubai-based Bain, the top Scot in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie, posted a four-under 68 over the Springfield Village course to share 12th place and was joined on that mark by countryman and fellow Dubai resident Dunn.

Comrie rookie Booth, who turned pro after last September's Walker Cup, began his campaign with a three-under 69 to share 20th spot with former Scottish Boys' champion Harper.

Englishman Mark Foster, Han Seung-su of Korea and Japanese duo Katsumune Imai and Masaki Sakata set the early pace in the race for 40 Asian Tour cards on offer with seven-under 65s.

Frenchman Jean Van De Velde, runner-up in the 1999 Open, carded a level-par 72.