Scots make stuttering start to defence of Eisenhower Trophy

Scotland's defence of the world men's amateur team golf championship for the Eisenhower Trophy got off to a faltering start in Buenos Aires.

The Scots' two counting scores over the shorter Olivos Golf Club Course (par-71, 6,801-yard) were a pair of four-over-par 75s by James Byrne (Banchory) and Scottish champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck). Ross Kellett (Colville Park) had the non-counting score of 76.

A two-from-three total of eight-over-par left the Scots languishing in joint 43rd position in the field of 69 teams.

At roughly the halfway point of the opening round, Byrne, Stewart and Kellett were a combined eight over par as they tried to follow in the footsteps of Wallace Booth, Gavin Dear and Calum Macaulay, historic winners of the title for Scotland in Australia in 2008. Today, the Scots will switch to the longer Buenos Aires Golf Club course (par 72, 6,962 yards).

Byrne got off to a flying start with birdies at the long first and par-4 third, but he gave the shots back very quickly with bogeys at the fifth and sixth before picking up a two at the short seventh, enabling him to reach the turn in one-under-par 35. Then it all went pear-shaped for the highest world-ranked Scot. He bogeyed the long 11th, 12th, 14th and 15th - but worse was to come. Byrne had a double bogey 6 at the 16th. A birdie at the 18th got him back in a disappointing five-over 40 for a 75.

Scottish champion Stewart also birdied the long opening hole, but bogeyed the short fourth and also the sixth before crashing to a double-bogey 7 at the long sixth. A birdie at the ninth got him out in two-over-par 38. He bogeyed the 12th, 14th and 18th on the inward journey with only one further birdie, at the 15th, for an inward half of two-over 37.

Kellett had a nightmare start with a double-bogey 6 at the third and further shots dropped at the fourth and sixth on his way for a four-over-par 40 for the opening nine holes. He shed more shots to par at the 12th and 15th before he secured his only birdie of the round, at the 16th, on his way to 36 home for a 76.

France set the pace with a seven-under-par total of 137 at the Buenos Aires club. At the Olivos course, Canada were ahead with four-under-par 137.