Round Up: Sandy Scott secures Arnold Palmer Cup spot

Nairn's Sandy Scott is the sole British golfer to secure automatic qualification for this year's Arnold Palmer Cup. Picture: Texas Tech

Scott, who is also a contender for the Walker Cup this season, secured his spot on the back of some strong performances in his junior year at Texas Tech.

Ireland’s Julie McCarthy, who is at Auburn, has also made the team off the US college rankings for an event taking place in Arkansas in June.

Two spots are up for grabs on the International team in the R&A Scholar Tournament at St Andrews in April, with four four coach’s picks then being announced in May.

Until last year, the Ryder Cup-style match for top college players involved the US and Europe.

It was expanded to include both men and women college players chosen from around the world.

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Scotland, representing Team Watson, sit in the bottom half of the 18-country field after 36 holes in the Major Champions Invitational in Florida.

In the second round at Bella Collina in Montverde, Blairgowrie’s Cormac Sharpe and Cameron Adam of Royal Burgess both carded two-over 74s.

Loretto’s Eilidih Henderson and Evanna Hynd of Lundin, the two other members of the team representing Tom Watson, signed for 76 and 78 respectively.

Carding a total of 224 for the second day running, Team Watson sit 14th on 16-over-par.

England, representing Georgia Hall, lead by nine shots on 19-under, helped by a 65 from Conor Gough in the second round and efforts of 68 and 69 so far from Annabell Fuller.

Gough sits second in the boys’ individual standings on 11-under, a shot behind American Andrew Goodman, with Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin third on six-under.

Fuller leads the girls’ event by a shot from American Latanna Stone and New Zealand’s Darae Chung.

Following the opening round on Wednesday, competitors were treated to a clinic and Q&A session featuring host Sir Nick Faldo and Tony Jacklin.

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Former Palmer Cup player Jack McDonald finished just outside the top 10 in the Dubai Open presented by Turkish Airlines on the MENA Tour.

McDonald, one of three Scots to feature in a winning team at Walton Heath under Andrew Coltart’s captaincy, signed off by carding five birdies in a 71 at Dubai Hills.

That gave him a seven-under-par 209 total and a share of 11th position with compatriot Scott Henry (71).

After carding carding one bogey and 12 pars in the closing circuit, Henry picked up two shots in the last five holes.

Daniel Hendry (69) finished joint-16th on six-under, one ahead of Craig Ross, who dropped four shots in four holes after the turn as he closed with a 73.

As a result, Ross has slipped from fifth to seventh in Journey to Jordan, which sees Englishman Matthew Baldwin out in front with winnings of $27,000 from three events.

All closing with 75s, Jack Doherty finished on two-under, Conor O’Neil one-under and Bradley Neil two-over.

South African MG Keyser held off Baldwin in the final round to claim a four-shot victory, having set up his success with a sensational 61 in the penultimate circuit.

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Michele Thomson heads the British challenge after day one of the Women’s New South Wales Open.

Thomson carded an opening 68 at Queanbeyan Golf Club to share fifth place on three- under-par, five shots behind Iceland’s Valdis Thora Jonsdottir.

A gold medal winner in the inaugural European Mixed Team Championships at Gleneagles last August, Jonsdottir fired a career-best 63 to take a three-stroke lead over France’s Astrid Vayson de Pradenne.

Taking up where she’d left off when finishing fourth in the Canberra Classic last weekend, Carly Booth carded a 69 to sit in a five-way tie for seventh place on two under, with defending champion Meghan MacLaren a shot further back following a 70.

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Rookie pro Hannah McCook is the leading Scot heading into the final round of the Cape Town Ladies Open, an event on the Sunshine Ladies Tour.

The new Gleneagles golf amabassador followed her opening 74 at Royal Cape Town with a 76 to sit joint-12th on two-over-par.

Jane Turner, winner of the SuperSport Ladies Challenge on the South African-based circuit last week, started the day alongside McCook.

However, the Dalmahoy player slipped to joint-29th after an 81 left her on seven-over.

Sandwiched between the pair is Craigielaw’s Gabrielle Macdonald, who carded a second-round 75 to sit tied for 18th on four-over.

Laura Murray, the other Scot in the field, missed the cut on 13-over after disappointing rounds of 80-81.