Johnston’s impressive start leaves him three shots behind leaders

Liam Johnston was the leading Scottish golfer after the opening day of DP World Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

The Dumfries man carded a bogey-free threeunder 68 on the Lakes Course at Infinitum in Tarragona to sit three shots behind joint leaders Dario Antonisse and Simon Forsström.

Michael Stewart is tied 38th on one under par after the opening day of the six-round marathon with the top 25 earning playing rights on the DP World Tour next year.

Fellow Scot Craig Howie is one-over-par with Stephen Gallacher one shot further back. Craig Ross carded a fourover-par 76.

Elsewhere, Banff amateur Callum Bruce earned an Alp Tour card for the 2023 season after finishing tied 30th at the final qualifier in Rome.

Bruce shot rounds of 71, 73 and 74 to finish one-over-par.

On the DP World Tour, Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald joined Ryan Fox at the top of the Nedbank Golf Challenge leaderboard in the early stages of the second round before the weather intervened and play was suspended.

The pair had completed just three holes when the hooter sounded at 11.49am local time due to thunder and lightning in the area, and no further play was possible yesterday.

The second round will resume at 7.45am today. Englishman Donald birdied the par-five second to get to eight under par, and although Fox also took advantage of that hole to keep his nose in front, the New Zealander dropped a shot at the third before play was suspended.

Ross Fisher, Rasmus Hojgaard and Guido Migliozzi were in a threeway tie for third on six under.

Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay is sitting eighth on four under after five holes of his second round with David Law one shot back having played only six holes of his second round.

● England’s Charley Hull will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the individual event at the Aramco Team Series in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Hull carded six birdies in a front nine of 30 at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club and then followed eight straight pars with a birdie on the 18th to complete a bogeyfree 65.

Hull’s nine-under-par total left her one shot ahead of defending champion Pia Babnik, Caroline Hedwall and Virginia Elena Carta, with Babnik matching Hull’s seven-under 65.

Alford’s Laura Beveridge shot a second round of five-under 65 to move to tied 13th.

Beveridge, who opened with a level par 72, is four shots behind leader Hull.

Liam Johnston led the field among Scottish players.