Scots suffer heavy defeat by Ireland in Conwy clash

Scotland suffered an 11½-3½ hammering at the hands of defending champions Ireland on the opening day of the Men’s Home Internationals at Conwy, where hosts Wales lost by the same margin to England, writes Martin Dempster.

Ryan Lumsden and Euan Mcintosh did the job they were sent out to do in the foursomesbyputtingsome blue on the scoreboards with a fine 3&2 win over Robin Dawson and Peter O’keeffe in the top match.

However, that was Scotland’s only success in the morning session and things didn’t improve in the singles as Euan Walker and Jeff Wright were the only ones to muster victories while Jim Johnston secured a half.

The heavy defeat leaves the Scots with little chance of claiming the title for a first time since 2012 whereas Ireland are gunning for a fifth victory on the trot in the four-cornered event.

Elsewhere, Peter Whiteford surged through the field in the second round of the European Tour Qualifying School first-stage event at The Players Club in Bristol. The Fifer carded a 67 – 10 shots better than his opening effort – to jump nearly 40 spots to sit jointninth at the halfway stage on level-par, nine behind the leader, Englishman Haydn Mccullen (67-68).

Daniel Hendry (74) and Ryan Campbell (72) are joint-30th on four-over, two better than Lloyd Saltman (72) and nine ahead of Louis Gaughan (78). Jordan Mccoll, the other Scot in the field, withdrew before the second round.

In the other Section A event at Fleesensee in Germany, Craig Ross slipped nine spots to a share of 16th after adding a 74 to his opening 69. On one-under, he is nine shots off the lead, held by Swede Per Lanfors (68-66).

On the Tartan Tour, Dunbar’s Neil Fenwick won the Carnegie Invitational at Skibo Castle with a twounder 140 total. Fenwick shot rounds of 69-71 for a two-shot triumph – it earned him a top prize of £4,750 – over Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), with Paul O’hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd) third on 146.