England get better of Scots in Amateur

Only three of the eight scots to qualify are still standing in the Amateur Championship after English players won five matches between the Auld Enemies at Royal St George’s.

Robert Macintyre, last year’s beaten finalist, won two ties to reach the last 32 in Kent, where Craig Howie and Ryan Lumsden are also still in the title hunt.

Glencruitten left-hander Macintyre looks to have the bit between his teeth again now that it’s the cut and thrust of match-play.

He beat China’s Zheng Kai Bai 3&1 in the first round before following that up with a 3&2 success over Ben Ferguson, who has entered this event under the Australian flag but played for Scotland in last year’s Boys’ Home Internationals through his parentage.

Peebles player Howie beat Slovenia’s Zan Luka Stirn 4&2 while Lumsden, a Royal Wimbledon member, recorded a 5&3 win over Irishman Robin Dawson.

Balmore’s Christopher Maclean, who qualified as leading Scot, lost on the last to Tom Sloman in one of those Scotland versus England clashes, with Sandy Scott, Craig Ross and Euan Walker suffering the same fate in the second round.

Nairn teenager Scott saw his Walker Cup hopes suffera blow as he lost 2&1 to Charlie Strickland, fellow GB&I squad player Ross lost by one hole to Daniel O’loughlin and Walker was beaten 3&2 by Jordan Sundborg.

Earlier in the day, Connor Syme had become the first of the eight Scots to bow out as he went down on the last to yet another Englishman, David Langley.

Elsewhere, Stephen East set the initial pace in the Scottish Seniors Championship, carding a threeunder opening effort at Royal Burgess before Graham Bell, last year’s Scottish Seniors Order of Merit winner, went two shots better to lead after carding a six-under-par 66.

On the professional front, Caldwell’s Christopher Currie has joined Tartan Tour No 1 Greig Hutcheon in the GB&I team for the PGA Cup at Foxhills in Surrey in September.