By Steve Scott, golf correspondent

WALLACE BOOTH dragged his little sister Carly back to St Andrews yesterday to show the Curtis Cup player how to play the famous links as he maintained his excellent form in gaining a share of the lead after the first round of the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The 22-year-old watched his 15-year-old sister play for GB&I last weekend in between rounds at the weather-shortened Scottish Strokeplay Championship at the Duke’s Course just outside St Andrews, and went on to win his first senior national title there with a final round 68.

Now the powerful Comrie player, who is in the men’s GB&I squad which meets at Kingsbarns next week to begin Walker Cup preparations, is aiming to add the most prestigious amateur strokeplay title in Europe after an opening 66 on the Jubilee course with his wee sister carrying the bag.

Wallace’s Scottish team-mate Calum Macaulay matched the six-under score to tie for the first round lead while the third Scot in the Walker Cup preliminary squad, Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll, shot a 67 to lie just a shot behind his countrymen.

Dollar’s Scott Borrowman was another Scot in the 60s in near perfect conditions on the Jubilee. The field move to the Old Course today for the second round with the top 40 and ties playing two rounds on the Old on Sunday.

For Booth, the chance to get onto the Old Course with a bit of momentum was just what he was looking for.

“I’ve always started this tournament on the Jubilee or the New with nothing more than a solid round, so it’ll be good to go to the weekend in a good position for once,” he said.

Wallace had six birdies and an eagle, with only a couple of three putts, and unlike most who will be at Kingsbarns next week is currently without a coach.

“I’m just looking for the right guy, and in the meantime I’d rather just work on my swing myself,” he said. “It’s possibly better like that because if you run into problems on the course you can’t call on your coach to put it right.”

Tulliallan’s Macaulay also takes an old-school style to coaching, with his dad Harry offering advice when necessary, and he’s another who doesn’t overdo preparation.

“I really wanted to win the Scottish title at the Duke’s and last week I maybe overdid practice a bit, because usually I limit the amount of play and practice I do every week.

“I’ve gone back to my usual routine this week and I think it suits me better, as today probably showed.”

Macaulay prefers the Jubilee to the Old Course, but admitted to doing some prep on the famous old track a couple of weeks ago.

“My girlfriend Clare-Marie Carlton was playing in the St Rule Trophy so I caddied 36 holes for her and got a pretty close look at how the Old Course is playing,” he said.

Unlike his colleagues, McNicoll’s coaching is pure 21st century as he consults his former college coach Bill Davis at Linn University in Florida via email and video, but the Carnoustie man is simply looking to get going after the interruptions that shortened the last two big amateur events, the Brabazon Trophy and the Scottish.

“I did well at the Irish Strokeplay finishing second but since then I missed the one-round cuts at both the Brabazon and the Scottish, so it feels like the season hasn’t really started for me,” he said after a bogey-free five-under performance.

McNicoll will go through the European Tour Qualifying School at the end of this season having missed it last year after straining a wrist playing for Scotland, but is aiming at the Walker Cup should he not make it through that protracted process.

Keir shares third place with English pair Jonathan Hurst and Oliver Farr and Belgian Hugues Joannes, with Borrowman, Scottish Boys champion Michael Stewart, Shotts veteran Allyn Dick and Craigielaw’s Mark Hillson shooting 68s for sixth place.

Veteran Mark Halliday (Royal Aberdeen), former Scottish champion Kevin McAlpine and young Scottish prospects Ross Kellett (Colville Park) and James Byrne (Banchory) all shot two-under 70s.

Leading scores:

66—W Booth (Comrie), C Macaulay (Tulliallan).

67—K McNicoll (Carnoustie), H Joannes (Bel), J Hurst (Shaw Hill), C Wood (Long Ashton), O Farr (Ludlow), A Dick (Shotts).

68—S Borrowman (Dollar), D Antonelli (Fra), M Hillson (Craigielaw), A Johnston (North Middlesex).

Selected:

69—J White (Lundin).

70—J Byrne (Banchory), M Halliday (Royal Aberdeen), K McAlpine (Alyth).

71—R Coull (Edzell), G Campbell (Blairgowrie), C Watson (East Renfrewshire).

73—K Nicol (Fraserburgh), J Findlay (Fraserburgh), M Baldwin (Royal Birkdale).

74—G Paterson (St Andrews New), S Mann (Carnoustie).

75—M Buchan (Cruden Bay), G Dear (Murrayshall).

76—P O’Hara (Colville Park), G Yates (Hilton Park), M Lamb (Haddington).

77—R Dixon (Kilmarnock Barassie), G Tough (Letham Grange).

78—C Harkins (Ayr Belleisle).

79—G Taylor (Meldrum House).

80—R Carson (Dalmahoy).

84—S Henry (Cardross).