Five Scots into last 32 at Carnoustie

• Five Scots make it through to last 32 at Carnoustie
• Jack McDonald defeats American Frederick Wedel
• Grant Forrest sees off fellow Scot Alexander Culverwell

Former Scottish Amateur Golfer of the Year Jack McDonald is among five Scots who have progressed through to the last 32 of the Amateur Championship at Carnoustie.

The 22-year-old, who plays out of Kilmarnock (Barassie), sailed through his first matchplay round against Frederick Wedel, defeating the American 6&5.

In truth, McDonald didn’t need to be at his best as his opponent struggled, with five bogeys and two double-bogeys to his name, and in progressing, he has set up a second round match against Welshman Daniel Boote, who beat Bearsden’s Ewen Ferguson 2&1.

Craig Howie, who topped the leaderboard after the opening two days of strokeplay, fell to defeat against Michele Cea. The Peebles man was 2UP after the front nine but three consecutive hole wins from the Italian swung the match in his favour and Howie eventually lost 2&1.

CONTINUES BELOW…

In an all-Scottish match-up, it was Grant Forrest (Craigielaw, above) who recorded a resounding victory over fellow East Lothian player Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar). Forrest was 4UP at the turn and with Culverwell’s only hole win coming at the tenth, the match went as far as the 14th with Forrest progressing 6&4.

Joining McDonald and Forrest in the last 32 are Greig Marchbank (Thornhill), Craig Ross (Kirkhill) and Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten).

Like McDonald, consistency was the key for Marchbank as he saw off American Ryan Stovash. The Scot’s opponent carded four birdies, four pars, seven bogeys and one double-bogey in a rollercoaster round, allowing the Thornhill man – who only recorded one birdie of his own – to progress 3&2.

Ross saw off Aussie Cameron Davis – who is ranked more than 100 places higher than the Kirkhill player at No.54 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) – 2&1 which was helped by an early birdie blitz on the bank nine.

The final player through was MacIntyre who overcame another Aussie DJ Loypur in a nail-biting affair. The margin between the pair was never greater than 2UP and all-square heading down the 18th, a par was enough to send 18-year-old through after Loypur carded a bogey.

Here are the match-ups and tee times for the round of 32 tomorrow morning:

8.06am – Yannick Paul (Germany) v Greig Marchbank
8.15am – Craig Ross v Miki Kuronen (Finland)
8.33am – Grant Forrest v Gisli Sveinbergsson (Iceland)
8.47am – Jack McDonald v David Boote (Walton Heath)
8.56am – Robert MacIntyre v Jimmy Mullen (Royal North Devon)

The Amateur :: A Scottish winner?

With five Scots still in, will someone follow in Bradley Neil’s footsteps and win again this year? Leave your thought below.