Conor O'Rourke produced one of the rounds of the year when he fired a bogey-free, six-under par 65 to make the cut on the mark in the Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Open Championship.

The Naas golfer, one of Ireland's Walker Cup hopefuls this year, looked odds on to miss the cut when he posted an eight-over par 79 on Friday.

But he showed he's not a man you can write off easily when he birdied the first, second, fourth, seventh and ninth to turn in 31, then picked up another shot at the 11th to get back to two-over.

He parred his way home, posting a 65 to make the cut on the two-over par mark with clubmate Jonathan Yates (71).

Thomas Mulligan made a late triple bogey at the 17th but birdied the 18th for a three-74 that leaves him tied for 15th on one-under-par, six shots behind Scotland's Craig Howie, who shot a 64 to share the lead with compatriot Liam Johnston (66) and Australian David Micheluzzi (68).

John Ross Galbraith is a shot further back in 22nd after a 69 but Rowan Lester (74), Colin Fairweather (72), Colm Campbell (73) and Jordan Hood (76) missed the cut.

Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Open Championship, Western Gailes (Par 71)

Detailed scores

T1 HOWIE, Craig (Peebles Golf Club) 71 64 135
T1 JOHNSTON, Liam (Dumfries & County Golf Club) 69 66 135
T1 MICHELUZZI, David  (Australia)  67 68 135
—-
T15 MULLIGAN, Thomas  (Laytown & Bettystown)  67 74 141
T22 GALBRAITH, John-Ross (Whitehead0  73 69 142
T33 O’ROURKE, Conor (Naas)  79 65 144
T33 YATES, Jonathan  (Naas)  73 71 144
Cut —-
MC LESTER, Rowan  (Hermitage)  71 74 145
MC FAIRWEATHER, Colin  (Knock)  76 72 148
MC CAMPBELL, Colm  (Warrenpoint)  75 73 148
MC HOOD, Jordan (Galgorm Castle)  74 76 150.