KELSEY JOINS ALYSON IN LEAR AT UNDER-21 GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

A four-under-par second round of 70 has drastically shortened the odds against Kelsey MacDonald completing a record-setting fourth win in a row in the Scottish Under-21 girls' stroke-play golf championship at Cardoss Golf Club tomorrow. Starting the day in joint eighth position, four shots off the pace, the Stirling student and Nairn Dunbar member slipped into top gear with a six-birdie, two-bogey round to share the lead on three-under 148 with Elderslie's Alyson McKechin. Kelsey had her usual mixture of birdies and bogeys in an outward 35 but the last nine holes she completed without a blemish and studded with birdies at the 10th, 12th and 18th. But Alyson is not going to roll over and let her rival walk away with the title unchallenged. McKechin was three over par to the turn but birdies at the 13th, 17th and 18th saw her match MacDonald's inward half – and it could be a battle royal over the final round. Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh had the second-best round of the day, a 72 for 148 and the beaten finalist in the recent Scottish Under-18 girls match-play championship at Glenisla is saring third place with Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick (73-75). LEADING SECOND-ROUND TOTALS Par 148 (2x74) 145 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) 75 70, Alyson McKechin (Elderslie) 71 74. 148 Gemma Dryburgh (Beaconsfield) 76 72, Gillian Monteith (Portpatrick) 73 75. 149 Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co) 75 74, Paige Kemp (Boyce Hill) 73 76, Rachael Watton (Mortonhall) 72 77, Nichola Ferguson (Clober) 75 74. 150 Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 75 75. 153 Rachael Taylor (Germany) 76 77,Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry) 76 77. 154 Jordana Graham (Southerness) 79 75, Rachel Hanlon (St Regulus) 76 78, Nicola Rawlinson (Royal Birkdale) 79 75, Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) 77 77. 155 Rebecca Wilson (Grange) 82  73, Rachael McQueen (Troon Ladies) 78 77, Tara MacTaggart (Minto) 74 81, Alice Boothroyd (Rudding Park) 73 82, Emma Clegg (Clitheroe) 80 75. 156 Ailsa Bain (Peebles) 82 74, Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) 79 77, Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) 71 85, Charlotte Austwick (Fulford) 79 77. 158 Jorden Ferrie (Kirkintilloch) 82 76, Emma Greenlees (Dumfries and Galloway) 79 79, Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) 77 81, anna Scott (Broomieknowe) 79 79. 159 Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 83 76, Sophie Myles (Ilkley) 77 82. 160 Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) 81 79. 161 Heather Munro (Monifieth) 83 78, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 82 79, Eilidh Watson (Muckhart) 80 81, Ashley Smith (Monifieth) 79 82, Lesley Cosh (Cowglen) 79 82, Katerina Slukova (Olomouc) 77 84, Louise McGillivray (Banchory) 76 85, Gillian Simpson (Elie and Earlsferry) 76 85. 162 Emma Hale (Troon Ladies) 82 80, Gillian Scanlan (Hamilton) 82 80. 163 Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 81 82. 164 Jenny Potter (Cathkin Braes) 79 85. 165 Tegan Seivwright (Deeside) 84 81, Rebecca McGeehan (Germany) 80 85, Eleanor Tunn (Reay) 84 81. 166 Katie Reid (Monifieth) 79 87. 168 Kirstin Scott (Milngavie) 84 84, Claire Gadsby (Crieff) 82 86, Natasha Qayum (Ranfurly Castle) 77 91. 169 Gillian Arnott (Largsw) 83 86, Emily Dalgetty (Glencorse) 89 90. 170 Alexandra Tait (St Regulus) 82 88, Rachel Polson (Peterculter) 80 80, Emily Aird (Strathmore) 82 88. ends