Macintyre follows Mickelson’s lead

O BA N ’ S RO B E RT MacIntyre has at least two things in common with Open champion Phil Mickelson — they both play golf left- handed and they are both proven winners.

Glencr uitten member MacIntyre, the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths champion, shot an excellent six-under-par 66 yesterday to lead the field in the first round of the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Scottish Under-18 boys’ open amateur stroke-play.

He lea d s by one from professional’s son Connor Syme (Dumfries and County), Paul Lawrie, the Scottish schoolboys’ champion for the past two years, and by three from third-placed Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden), current leader of the SGU Boys’ Order of Merit.

MacIntyre had seven birdies at the Kelso course in halves of 32-34.

His only blemish was a bogey at the second.

His birdies came at the first, third, long fifth, long seventh, short eighth, long 11th and short 13th.

Syme also had seven birdies in his 67 but he had two bogeys, both at short holes in an outward 35, the fourth and eighth.

His inward half of 32 was two better than MacIntyre’s.

First round scores (par 72):

66 — R MacIntyre (Glencruitten).

67 — C Syme (Dumfries and Co).

69 — E Ferguson (Bearsden).

70 — R White (Muckhart), O Bergqvist (Swe), A Burgess (Nairn), J Floydd (Haywards Heath).

71 — L A nderson ( Deeside), E Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), C Fyfe (Cawder).

72 — R Robertson (Old Ranfurly), J Goth- Rasmussen ( Den), F Davren (Williamwood), J Harling ( Banchor y), J Lelliott ( Worthing), J Volden (Nor), C McA ndrew (Ger), C Hill (Tantallon), R Stewart ( Crieff), A Ross (Fort William).

73 — G Burns (Williamwood), D McNeill (Powfoot), S Mazzoli (Ita), G Cowen (W Lothian), M McCulloch (Portpatrick Dunskey).

74 — S Scott (Nairn), A Fortune (Roxburghe), G Welsh (S Her ts), M Mansen ( Den), T Watson ( Fancourt), R Gordon (A lford), B Gavin (Kilmarnock Barassie), G Forrester (Lundin).

75 — C Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy), A Wilson ( Renaissance), C Curren (Harburn), R McKinnon (Peterculter), P Dorrian (Greenock), M Napier (Dundas Parks), R Dallas (Kirriemuir), S Eaton (Irvine).