Law man leads Scottish Challenge after taming wind at Spey Valley
Aberdonian is out in front after a 67 as Johnston and Stewart also get off to promising starts in Aviemore
It was one of the best efforts in the history of the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge. Just as impressive, in fact, as the 62 carded by Brooks Koepka when winning at Macdonald Spey Valley in 2013 and Andrew “Beef” Johnston’s 65 as he was crowned champion the following year.
On a day when a strong gusting wind proved troublesome on the Dave Thomas-designed course with its heather-flanked fairways, David Law steered his way round bogeyfree in carding a five-underpar 67 in the opening round of the £220,000 Challenge Tour event in Aviemore.
The excellent morning’s work – he was out in one of the first groups at 7.30am and had already been out for a run before getting down to business – earned Law a one-shot lead over Portugal’s Pedro Figueiredo and Welshman Stuart Manley, winners of the last two events on the European Tour’s feeder circuit.
“To be bogey-free on a day like that was good as it was really tough,” admitted Law. “It was nice to be first out when it was a little calmer. I noticed around the fifth or sixth hole it was really kicking up a bit and especially at the end it was quite gusty.”
The 27-year-old Aberdonian hasn’t fared so well in this event in the past, missing the cut five times in six appearances. “It’s hard to pinpoint why I have never played well here before,” he said. “Maybe at a home event you put a bit of pressure on yourself, but it’s obviously great to get off to a nice start and hopefully I can kick on from here.”
Law didn’t muster a single top 10 last season but led at the halfway stage in the KPMG Trophy in Belgium a fortnight ago before finishing joint 13th. “Last year I didn’t play well at all, but I think my game has been going the right way for quite a while, to be honest,” said the two-time Scottish Amateur champion after signing for birdies at the first, eighth, 13th, 14th and 17th.
“I missed the cut last week in France, but I was saying to [mentor] Paul Lawrie on Tuesday when he walked a few holes here with me that it was probably the first time I’ve been in an airport on a Friday night and not been disappointed about that. I just thought ‘I’m not worried here’ because I am playing decent.
“In Belgium, I played really good in the first two days, but I hadn’t been leading a golf tournament out here for over two years, I think it was, so it was unfamiliar in that respect. But it was good to be up there again. I can hopefully draw on that this week.”
Last year’s dip in form was no coincidence. “We lost our little boy in the summer last year, so off the course it was quite a tough year,” he revealed. “Golfing-wise, when that sort of thing happens I really wasn’t interested that much. Without using that as an excuse at all, but the whole year was tough. It’s just been good to get going again, and really give it a go this year.”
Manley, a 39-year-old from Aberdare, bridged a five-year gap when claiming his second Challenge Tour title in France on Sunday, beating Grant Forrest in a play-off. “I’ve struggled with my game the last few days and also last weekend,” confessed manley in a surprise admission after opening with a six-birdie salvo. “But sometimes I play well when that’s the case because I focus better. It’s strange because while I hate hitting it like this, I seem to be able to score well.”
He’s recorded five top 10s already this season despite being unable to put in his usual winter preparation. “I had had an operation on my arm for skin cancer,” he said. “It was quite deep and in an awkward spot and I couldn’t play for 10 weeks. I was in a panic when the doctor called me to tell me, but it was basal cell carcinoma, the least dangerous one you can have.”