Strong start for Scottish duo in Cypriot contest for DP World Tour events

Grangemouth Golf Club’s Graeme Robertson set the pace in The PGA Play-Offs at Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus with a level-par 71 | Getty Images

Graeme Robertson, last year’s Tartan Tour No 1, leads by a shot from fellow Scot Paul O’Hara after the opening round of the PGA Play-Offs at Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus.

Robertson, who is attached to Grangemouth Golf Club, carded a level-par 71 to set the pace in the 54-hole event featuring players from the various PGA Regions in the UK and Ireland.

In his first proper competitive outing of the year, Robertson was two over after 11 holes before covering the last seven in two under, aided by birdies at the 13th, 16th and 18th.

It was an impressive start from the Scottish PGA champion in the battle to secure three DP World Tour appearances this year, including the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, and two more on the Hotel Planner Tour.

Grangemouth Golf Club’s Graeme Robertson set the pace in The PGA Play-Offs at Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus with a level-par 71 | Getty Images

North Lanarkshire Leisure-attached O’Hara, the 2012 winner on Scottish soil, is breathing down his compatriot’s neck heading into the second circuit after an opening effort that contained five birdies but two double bogeys, including one at the short seventh, as well.

Hayston’s Chris Maclean is tied for eighth after a four-over 75 while Craig Lee, the winner in 2023 at the same venue, sits 19th in the 24-player field after having to settle for a 79 that started with a birdie.

Lorna McClymont is off to an encouraging start in her latest Sunshine Ladies Tour event in South Africa | Sunshine Ladies Tour

Meanwhile, Lorna McClymont sits just three shots off the lead after the first round of her latest Sunshine Ladies Tour event in South Africa.

Despite running up a triple-bogey 7 at the 14th, the Scot, who finished second in last week’s event in Cape Town, opened with a one-over 73 at Sun City in the SunSport Ladies Challenge supported by Sun International.

It was another impressive effort from the University of Stirling graduate on a day when compatriots Jane Turner and Laura Beveridge signed for 76 and 79 respectively.