Roberts and Allan share top spot at Haggs Castle

Oliver Roberts, who is attached to Archerfield Links, produced a strong final-round performance to share top spot in the first stage of the PGA Europro Tour’s Qualifying School at Haggs Castle.

The East Lothian-based Englishman carded a fourunder 68 at the Glasgow venue to finish alongside overnight leader Lawrence Allan (Alva) on sevenunder-par after 36 holes.

Others to progress to next week’s final at Frilford Heath included amateur Jeff Wright (Forres), as well as 2015 South African Amateur champion Daniel Young (Kingsbarns).

Meanwhile, next week’s Scottish Boys’ and Girls’ Open Championships at Montrose and Monifieth respectively have both attracted players from all around Europe and, in a few cases, even further afield.

Both running from 4-6 April and being staged in a new early-season slot for the second year running, competition is set to be intense in events won 12 months ago by home player John Paterson (St Andrews New) and Germany’s Hannah Leonie Karg at the opposite venues.

Players from England, Wales, Belgium, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Iceland, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Morocco, Norway and Russia will be challenging the Scottish contingent in the boys’ event this time around.

Among those flying the Saltire are Bathgate’s Jack Gallacher, whose dad Stephen claimed an equivalent of this title in both 1991 and 1992, while other home hopes in the field include Nairn’s Calum Scott, who will be bidding to emulate the success of his older brother, Sandy, in 2015 at Royal Burgess.

Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling, who last year became the youngestever winner of the Scottish Girls’ Championship at 13, will be looking to get her 2018 campaign off to a positive start in the girls’ event along with the likes of Grace Crawford (Gullane) and Anna Mckay (Crail).