Mckinney leads the way at Boys’ Amateur Championship
Scotland’s Connor Mckinney led the qualifiers into the match play stage of the Boys’ Amateur Championship after shooting a level-par 71 in tough conditions at Saunton in Devon.
Playing on the West Course, Mckinney (Joondalup) finished the day on five-underpar after two rounds, one shot clear of Frenchman Martin Couvra and Archie Davies of Wales.
Mckinney’s round was almost derailed by a doublebogey 7onthepar-5tenthafter he hit his driver out of bounds. However, he kept his composure to record four birdies and a bogey on his way into the clubhouse as the leading qualifier. “It was really windy so that was always going to be a factor. When the rain came it made it really tricky but I handled my game pretty well and stuck to my plan,” said Mckinney.
“I stayed committed after a bad start to the back nine, it can really get away from you in that wind. I hit my driver out of bounds on ten and made double but I made four birdies in my next six holes so I really bounced back. It gives me an extra bit of confidence going into the match play, I know that I have already beaten everyoneinthefieldsoiknowthat I can do it in the match play.”
Fellow Scot Cameron Adam (Royal Burgess) qualified tied fourth on three-under-par after he recorded a level-par 71 in his second round on the East Course.
In the Girls’ Amateur Championship at Panmure, Italy’s Alessia Nobilio led the way after she shot a six-under-par 65 to move to 11-under for the championship and secured her place in the last 64, one shot ahead of her nearest rival Lucie Malchirand from France.
Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling qualified as the leading Scot on level par after a two-over-par 72. The twotime Scottish Girls’ Amateur Champion traded four birdies with six bogeys.