GREAT SCOTT! EWAN SETS PACE AT CARDROSS WITH A 67

Scottish youths champion Ewan Scott is on the trail of another national title after an impressive start to the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Scottish U18 boys' open amateur stroke-play championship at Cardross Golf Club. Scott, pictured by Kenny Smith (SGU), turned in the smoothest of performances to return a bogey-free round of four-under-par 67 with birdies at the third, long 13th, 14th and 18th in halves of 34 and 33. That gave him a two-shot overnight lead from Ryan Shuttleworth who came up over the Border from Workington to post a roller-coaster roound of 69. Shuttleworth had more birdies than the leader - five to four - but three times as many bogeys as well! Shuttleworth birdied the second, fourth, 10th, short 15th and 18th but dropped shots at the sixth, eighth and 11th in halves of 35-34.  Four players shared third place on 70 - Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and County), Angus Carrick (Douglas Park), Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) and, from Italy, Jacobo Guasconi. NEWS RELEASE FROM SCOTTISH GOLF UNION By ED HODGE  St Andrews’ Ewan Scott, the Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths champion, started his bid for a notable double this year with a superb four-under-par 67 in the first round of the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship at Cardross today.  The 17-year-old, who triumphed in the Youths at Ladybank in May, began his pursuit of another prestigious title with a bogey-free round near Dumbarton.  Scott, the SGU National Boys’ Squad player, began his challenge in the 72-hole event with a birdie at the third before adding further birdies at 13, 14 and 18 to open up an early two-shot lead over Ryan Shuttleworth (Workington).Par 71 “I played steady golf and putted better, something I’ve been struggling a little with lately,” said Ewan, who was in the first group out at 7am. “I’m happy with the start.  “Winning this and the Youths would be cool, but it’s not in my mind. We will see where we are in a couple of rounds.” Conditions were still wet at Cardross, but the course had dried out remarkably well, given the recent downpours, for the 144-strong field.  Tucked in behind Shuttleworth are four players on one-under-par, including last year’s SGU Boys’ Order of Merit winner Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and County) and Scottish Golf Academy member Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden). Gallacher, whose Foundation are sponsoring the event for the first time, is unable to be at Cardross this week as he is competing on The European Tour in Austria, seeking to return to the world’s top 100 to qualify for the US PGA Championship. But former Open champion Paul Lawrie, another superb backer of Scottish junior golf, was in attendance today, keeping an eye on son Craig (Deeside), who opened with a 75.  COMPLETE FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD 67 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 69 Ryan Shuttleworth (Workington) 70 Greig Marchbank (Dumfries and Co), Angus Carrick (Douglas Park), Jacobo Guasconi (Italy). 71 Christoher MacLean (Clydebank and Dist), Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie), Jake Scott (Buckpool), Anthony Blaney (Liberton), Adam Fisher (Inchmarlo), Christopher Lamb (Newmachar), Benjamin Kinsley (St Andrews), Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy), George Welsh (South Herts). 72 Jamie Savage (Cawder), Blair Gavin (Kilmarnock Barassie), Neil McArthur (Bishopbriggs), Craig Howie (Peebles), Takayuki Matsui (Italy), Richard Broadhurst (Eng), Lawrence Allan (Alva), Callum Harrison (Carluke), Blair Carnegie (Dunblane New). 73 Daniel Flannery (Peebles), Alex Wilson (Renaissance Club), Robert Johnson (Helensburgh), Craig Chalmers (Lenzie), Colin Edgar (Cochrane Castle), Euan Waugh (Whitecraigs). 74 Cameron Farrell (Cardross), Joel Cartlidge (Wheatley), David Pagterson (Leven GS), Alasdair McDouall (Elderslie), Ben Craggs (Glenbervie), David Wilson (Troon Welbeck), Dominic Dougan (Colville Park), Callum McGuigan (Comrie), Aleksi Myllymanu (Finland), Cameron Kirkwood (Bearsden), Dominic Dougan (Colville Park), Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten). 75 Marc Dingwall (Forres), Cameron Buist (Dunblane New), Jordan Shaw (Kingussie), James Stteven (Bothwell Castle), Craig Lawrie (Deeside), Connor Syme (Dumfries and Co), Christopher Vince (Haverhill), Andrew Loch (Pumpherston), Ewan Farquharson (Auchterarder), Greg Forrester (Lundin), Liro Eskelinen (Finland), Stuart Easton (Irvine). 76 Junglyn Seo (France), Thomas Schofield (Barbados), Cameron Bennie (Balmore), Calum McAndrew (Leven Thistle), Daniel Lane (Kenilworth), Patrick Teppola (Finland), Stephen Wilson (Whinhill), Andrew Carrell (Royal Aberdeen), Fraser Johnston (Longniddry), Conor Wiley (South Moore), Gavin Petrie (Forfar), James Wilson (Balmore), Fraser Lauder (Paisley), Daniel Lane (Kenilworth), Calum Hill (Muckhart), Robert Hughan (Newton Stewart), George Duncan (Windyhill). 77 Niall McMullen (Lochgelly), Connor Chant (Betchworth), James Holt (Wilpshire), Alistair MacVicar (Glencruitten), Euan Bowden (The Glen), Aidan Fortune (Kelso), Marc Nolan (Ireland), Ewen Matthew (Kirkcaldy), Willem Kerr (Craigielaw), Paul Reilly (Lochwinnoch), Ciaran Farrell (Wishaw), Luca Horwitz (Burhill), Callum Cochrane (Marriot Dalmahoy), Alasdair Ross (Fort William), Christopher Kendall (Furness), Stuart Blair (Royal Musselburgh), Rory Stewart (Crieff), Jamie Pryde (Deeside), Sam Kiloh (Portlethen). 78 Kevin Caneva (Ita), Jamie Giddens (Golf House Elie), Craig Anderson (Sandyhills), Jack Thomas (Irvine), Edoardo Lipparelli (Italy), Kevin Prentice (Lanark), Greig Telfer (Prestwick St Cuthbert), Murray Naysmith (Marriot Dalmahoy), Lewis Bain (Musselbrgh), Allan Waugh (Cowglen), Scott Grant (Downfield), Fraser Davren (Williamwood), Alister Balcombe (Clevedon), Gavin Roger (Clober), Henrik Honkalehto (Fin), Scott Simpson (Murrayfield), Ross Brydon (Bruntsfield), Robbie Kemsley (Balmore), Callum Fyfe (Cawder) 79 Blair Dalgleish (Ralston), Ray Gordon (Alford), Christopher Whatham (Grange Park), Andrew Davidson (Charleton), Jack McCluskey (Ayr Belleisle), Jake Hogg (The Duke's), Innes Ferguson (Drumpellier), Alistair Scott (Lanark). 80 John Douglas (Aberdour), Euan Henderson (Kilmarnock Barassie), Andrew Burgess (Nairn), Ross Miller (Whitekirk), Cameron Franssen (Inverness), Steven Young (Auchterarder), Gary Foley (Ralston), Alexander Bagnall (Rugby), Ross Proctor (Forres), Peter Maxwell (Glenbervie), Gordon Cowen (West Lothian). 81 Michael Bodden (Dunbar), Alistair MacLean (Glencruitten), Craig Oram (Nairn Dunbar), Stuart McLaren (Bruntsfield), Louis Murray (Troon Welbeck), Lewis Mutch (Duff House Royal). 82 Blair Murphy (Lanark), Lewis McWiliam (Aboyne), Scott  Murray (Inchmarlo) 83 Adone Agostinihofer (Ita), Alasdair McDougall (St Andrews New) 84 Connar Cook (Caird Park) 86 Fergus Sandison (Blairgowrie), Kerr Baptie (Duff House Royal).