Connor McKinney may be representing Australia but proved he is a pure-bred Fifer in a stunning opening round at the St Andrews Links Trophy.
McKinney, born in Dunfermline, scorched the Jubilee Course in the highest-ranked amateur strokeplay event on the calendar with a first round eight-under 64.
He has a two-shot lead over England’s Will Hopkins in one of the lowest scoring opening days the Links Trophy has ever seen. 50 players shot par or better on what’s widely considered to be the most difficult course of the five 18s at the historic links.
But McKinney’s performance had pride of place. The 19-year-old represented Scotland at junior level and played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Jacques Leglise Trophy. But he is now committed to Golf Australia, having lived Down Under for nearly seven years.
McKinney is a regular visitor to his homeland – his grandparents still live here. He has played regularly in events in Scotland, including the national championship, over the last couple of years.
He had just one dropped shot at the short ninth and had nine birdies. The highlight was a storming run of five in a row from the second.
Hopkins is an English international from the Belton Park club in Grantham, Lincolnshire. He got closest to McKinney with six birdies and an eagle to reach seven under with six to play. But a dropped shot in the tough closing stretch at the 16th left him two back.
Connor Graham bounces back in fine style
Connor McKinney with a tap in birdie at 12 on the Jubilee Course to go to the top of the leaderboard at -6 on day one of the Links Trophy. @Connor13571 @GolfWestAust #LinksTrophy pic.twitter.com/sPImLvzwbO
— St Andrews Links (@TheHomeofGolf) June 3, 2022
Five players lie in a share of third place on five-under, including McKinney’s Australian team-mate Jack Buchanan. He was five-under after six holes but slowed the rest of the way to a 67.
The best placed Scot is the Blairgowrie’s 15-year-old rising star Connor Graham. Bouncing back from the disappointment of missing the cut at the Scottish Men’s Open at Cruden Bay last week, the highly-rated teenager didn’t drop a shot in his four-under 68.
Former Scottish champion and Crail GS member George Burns is one-shot further back after a 69.
Auchterarder’s Rory Franssen is also decently placed, just outside the top 25 after a one-under 71.
The competitors play their second round again on the Jubilee on Saturday. The top 40 and ties play two more rounds on the Old Course on Sunday.
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