Forres golfer impresses at Northern Open
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FORRES amateur Bryan Fotheringham is riding high on the Northern Open leaderboard at Moray Golf Club.
Sunshine followed the incessant rain at the Lossiemouth links and a delayed second round produced some much lower scoring and impressive play.
On-form North Lanarkshire golfer Paul O’Hara leads by three shots at the halfway stage, having shot a six-birdie 68 in Wednesday’s second round to move to two-under.
Moray’s best-placed is Fotheringham, who shot an impressive 69 for a three-over-par total of 145, just five behind the leader.
The Forres man wasn’t the only Moray amateur to make the cut as Moray GC’s very own Graham Murray carded a 70 for a 148 total to comfortably make the mark tied for 12th place.
There was agony for a second Lossie amateur, Jake Scott who shot a 72 but missed the cut by one shot, a fate similar to former Moray golfer Michael Patterson, who now plays at Kilmacolm.
But Elgin pro Michael McAllan also made it through with plenty to spare as his level-par 71 was enough for a 150 total, ten off the lead.
Rodger Clarke from the Golf Dedication Centre at Covesea also qualified for the last two rounds, a 73 bringing him in at 152.
O’Hara, who recently took two shots off the course record at Largs with a 61 then equalled the previous-best 63 at Bishopbriggs, is the man to catch.
He leads by three from Newmachar’s Greg McBain, while among three players on 144 are Grantown-on-Spey’s Gavin Hay, who recently played Highland League football for Rothes.
Lowest round of the day came from Marc Owenson (Gullane) who scored eight birdies in a flawless 63, some 23 shots better than his first round effort in the worst of the conditions.
Weather improved significantly and 36 players through to 36 hole final tomorrow @MorayGC for the @PGAScotland Northern open pic.twitter.com/fPTG3KZFzd
Paul McKechnie, who won a Euro Pro tour event at Moray in recent years, confirmed his liking for the course by firing a 66 to move four shots behind leader O’Hara.
Current Tartan Tour leader Scott Henderson also shot 66 for a 146 total and reigning Northern Open champ Greig Hutcheon is on 149 after a 71.
The third round got underway at 7.30 on Thursday morning.
Pictures from the Northern Open in Friday's Northern Scot print edition.
