GOLFERS at the Montrose Open made the most of the glorious weather yesterday to finally get play under way at the delayed event.

Heavy fog had hampered efforts to kick-start the tournament earlier in the week but there was little sign of inclement conditions for those on the Links yesterday.

Qualifiers for the knock-out stages were:

Scratch (CSS 76):

Section A (scr-11 handicap, CSS 72):

Section B (12-18 handicap, CSS 75):

72—M Candy (Mercantile, 13).

73—M McKenzie (Royal Montrose, 12), M Fraser (Mercantile, 15), J Bruce (Ladybank, 17).

74—B. McKay (Caledonia, 14), R McNaught (Royal Montrose, 15), S Thornton (Mercantile, 18).

75—K Kane (Sheddens Lethamhill, 13), G Lamb (Royal Montrose, 16), D Cruickshanks (Mercantile, 16) 75.

The matchplay draws for today (by tee-off time):

Section A, round one:

8.30 D Findlay (Mercantile) v W Dryden (Mercantile), 8.37 B Ritchie (Royal Montrose) v A McDonald (Letham Grange), 8.44 D Moore (Hong Kong) v K Craig (Mercantile), 8.51 J Adams (Edzell) v J O’Hara (Mercantile), 8.58 R Strachan (Royal Montrose) v S Benson (Cawder), 9.05 D Beedie (Edzell) v C Falconer (Caledonia), 9.12 L Geddes (Mercantile) v N Fraser (Mercantile), 9.19 J Trewick (Newbiggin) v F Auld (Caledonia).

Scratch, round one:

9.30 S Raffan (Mercantile) v T McEneaney (Newbiggin), 9.37 K Gardiner (Letham Grange) v P Browning (The Wisley), 9.44 M Penny (Morpeth) v S Boylan (Downfield), 9.51 A Weir (Mercantile) v N Williamson (Arbroath Artisans), 9.58 W Taylor (Edzell) v A Boyd (Edzell), 10.05 L Dawson (Newbiggin) v I Welsh (Nigg Bay), 10.12 C Penny (Morpeth) v I Galbraith (Murcar), 10.19 M Jobling (Morpeth) v D Saunders (Royal Montrose).

Cameron Cup, round one:

10.00 J McDonald (Mercantile) v C Frater (Auchenblae), 10.10 S Lorimer (Mercantile) v N Benson (Cawder), 10.20 B Smith Mercantile) v K Jolly (Muckhart), 10.30 J Rodger (Royal Montrose) v D Hampton Mercantile).

Milne Cup, round two:

12.00 R Spark (Mercantile), J Harrison (Mercantile), 12.07 C Bayfield (Mercantile), G Spark (Mercantile), 12.14 R Valentine (Royal Montrose), S Gordon (Mercantile), L Bain (Mercantile), 12.21 A Dow (Mercantile), A Littlewood (Caledonia), J Murison (Caledonia), 12.28 F Arthur (Edzell), B Marshall (Mercantile), R Ferries (Mercantile), 12.35 S Turriff (Mercantile), J Beedie (Mercantile), M Smith (Mercantile), 12.42 S Low (Caledonia), F Soutar (Mercantile), A Stephen (Mercantile).

Veterans, semi-finals:

2.00 S G Robertson (Mercantile) v W Burness (Caledonia), 2.10 A Young (Mercantile) v J Kearney (Royal Montrose).