Craig Howie heads Scots at the Amateur

• Craig Howie tops the leaderboard after strokeplay rounds
• “I’ve done the hard work and made the cut,” said Howie
• Eight out of the 29 Scots in the field made the cut

Craig Howie is among eight of 29 Scots to make it through to the matchplay stage of the British Amateur Championship after topping the opening two days’ strokeplay leaderboard.

The Peebles man posted a five-under-par round of 67 at Carnoustie – which followed a two-under-par 68 at Panmure on Monday – to sit alongside New Zealander Ryan Chisnall on seven-under.

Speaking after his second round, Stirling University Sports Studies student Howie, 22, said: “This will be my first taste of the matchplay stage at this event and I’ll be sticking to the same game plan. If I keep playing well and holing some putts it should be a good week.

“There’s a lot at stake this week but I’m not thinking about that” – Craig Howie

“There’s a lot at stake this week but I’m not thinking about that. I’ve done the hard work and made the cut so I’m just going to take one round at a time.”

The fellow Scots joining Craig Howie in the matchplay stages include Scottish Boys and Scottish Boys Strokeplay champion Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest and Craig Ross (Kirkhill), who won the Glenfarclas Open on the PGA EuroPro Tour at Mar Hall in Glasgow last year. The three players all finished on three-under-par.

Elsewhere, Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) finished on one-under-par, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) and Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) were level par, while Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten) crept into the matchplay stage on one-over-par.

With each of the Scots aiming to emulate Bradley Neil’s success at Royal Portrush last year, here are their matchplay ties, which sees Forrest and Culverwell go head-to-head.

Times:

8.30am – Craig Howie v Michele Cea (Italy)
10.05am – Greig Marchbank v Ryan Stovash (USA)
10.15am – Craig Ross v Cameron Davis (Australia)
10.55am – Grant Forrest v Alexander Culverwell
11.20am – Frederick Wedel (USA) v Jack McDonald
11.30am – Ewen Ferguson v David Boote (Walton Heath)
11.40am – DJ Loypur (Australia) v Robert MacIntyre

Picture: Kenny Smith

The Amateur :: Scottish winner?

Can one of the eight Scots follow in Bradley Neil’s footsteps and win at Carnoustie? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.