O'Donovan and McElroy lurking at Southerness
Richard O’Donovan is just one stroke off the lead with two rounds ot play in the Scottish Open Strokeplay at Southerness. Picture: Thos Caffrey www.golffile.ieLucan’s Richard O’Donovan birdied the last to lie just a shot off the lead entering today’ two rounds of the Carrick Neill Scottish Stroke Play Championship at Southerness.
In a display that will do his chances of a Walker Cup call up no harm, the Irish internatonal shot a one over par 70 with his lone birdie of the day coming at the par-five 18th.
England’s Garrick Porteous added a 69 to his opening 68 to be the only man in red figures on one under par, finishing with an eagle at the last to overhaul Callum Shinkwin (71-68) and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy (69-70), who had set the target at one over par.
McElroy had three birdies and two bogeys in his first five holes but dropped another shot at the seventh to turn in level par 35.
He then followed a bogey at the 11th with back to back birdies at the 12th and 13th before bogeys at the 14th and 16th forced him to settle for a 70.
Ardglass’ Cormac Sharvin is tied for 10th, six shots off the lead on five over after rounds of 69 and 74.
But it was a disappointing week in Scotland for Mourne’s Reeve Whitson, who missed the cut by four shots after rounds of 75 and 77.