Cameron Adam fires course-record 63 at Royal Dornoch in Scottish Amateur qualifying

Royal Burgess player Cameron Adam on his way to carding a course-record 63 at Royal Dornoch in the opening qualifying round for the Scottish Amateur Championship. Picture: Scottish Golf

Left-hander Cameron Adam set a new course record at Royal Dornoch with a seven-under-par 63 in the first qualifying round for the Scottish Amateur Championship.

Adam, a Royal Burgess member who is at Northwestern University in Illinois, enjoyed a day to cherish at the Sutherland venue as he produced a polished performance.

He followed birdies at the fourth and seventh with an eagle-3 at the ninth to be out in 31 before picking up shots at the 12th, 16th and 18th on the journey home.

Adam’s effort counted as a course record due to changes having been made to the layout since it last staged Scottish Golf’s marquee men’s event in 2012.

In the 36-hole battle to make the match-play stage, he holds a two-shot lead over Glenbervie’s Ross Laird, Daniel Bullen of Auchterarder and Loretto School pupil Cameron Mukherjee.

Laird, who emulated Adam by producing a bogey-free round, and Bullen both carded their 65s at Royal Dornoch while Mukherjee’s eye-catching effort came at Tain.

Mukherjee, the younger brother of last year’s winner Oliver, birdied the third, sixth, 12th, 13th – his sole bogey came at the par-4 14th - 16th and 18th as he came within a shot of setting a new course record there.

Battle Trophy winner Jack McDonald (Roxburghe Schloss) is handily-placed after a 66 at Tain, while Crail’s Andrew Davidson, winner of the 50th East of Scotland Open, made five birdies in his 67 at the same venue. Experienced campaigner Matthew Clark (Meldrum House) also shot three under but at Dornoch.

Aldeburgh’s Gregor Tait, the beaten finalist at Gailes Links in Ayrshire 12 months ago, dug deep to stop himself from facing a mountain to climb in the second round.

Tait, who is still in with an outside chance of being picked for the Walker Cup at St Andrews next month, was four-over-par after ten holes before reeling off birdies at 11th, 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th to shoot 69.

GB&I squad member Connor Graham (Blairgowrie) opened with a 71 at Tain, where his big brother Gregor signed for a 68, while Forres man Matthew Wilson carded a 71 at Dornoch after running up a double-bogey 5 at the second.

Defending champion Mukherjee also salvaged his day, running up a quadruple-bogey 8 at the third at Tain then finding himself six-over four holes later before picking up birdies at ninth, 13th, 14th and 17th.

Others on course to be involved in the knockout stage are Tennant Cup and Cameron Corbett Vase winner James Morgan (Longniddry) and reinstated amateur Chris Kelly (Scotscraig) after matching 69s.