Grant Forrest lived up to his pre-championship billing as some 25 of the field were yet to complete their opening rounds in the Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Strokeplay due to persistent fog at Gullane.
A two and a half hour delay due to poor visibility left 93 of the international field finishing the first round, but the favourite and local boy Forrest battling impressively through to the first round lead.
The Walker Cup player, who lives in nearby Archerfield, put together a stunning back nine of 31 containing four birdies, an eagle and one bogey to take a one stroke lead over compatriot Craig Howie.
The Peebles player, currently the Scottish Students champion, shot a four-under 67 on the course that staged last year’s Scottish Open to lead for most of the day by a stroke from five players; England’s William Enefer, Charlie Dann of Australia, Dutchman Pierre Verlaar junior and two Welshmen, Owen Edwards and Adam Wilson.
Howie was second behind Barry Hume at last week’s Welsh Strokeplay Championship and did most of his best work on the front nine yesterday prior to the delay, with five birdies in the first seven holes.
After the lunchtime stoppage he covered the final nine holes in par figures, with a birdie at the long 12th and a bogey at the 14th.
Enefer, who shot back-to-back final day 65s at Royal St Davids last week to share third with Howie, didn’t have a bogey in his 68.
However Forrest made light of gathering gloom to torch the back nine after a careless double bogey at the eighth had him only one-under making the turn.
Three other Scots were in the top ten among those who finished, including the highly rated Sandy Scott (Nairn) who has a two-under 69 slightly marred by bogeys on 15 and 16.
Jeff Wright (Forres) and James Wilson (Balmore) were also on two-under.
Australian Amateur champion Connor Syme was in one of the early groups and finished before the delay, the Drumoig player rescuing his round with and eagle-birdie double of the 12th and 13th to come in with a one-under 70.
Hume, whose Welsh title last week was his first national win since returning to the amateur ranks, experienced Scotland internationalist Graeme Robertson and Fife’s Andrew Davidson were all safely in with par rounds of 71.
Walker Cup player Ewen Ferguson has much work to do after a four-over 75, his only birdie of the day coming on the 12th.
