Dermot McElroy was just one shot off the lead when a late bogey dropped him back to -2 at the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge, and though the lead would improve by two, he’s just four off the pace.
The Ballymena man is coming off back-to-back missed cuts at the Irish Challenge and Black Desert NI Open, but he looks to have put those behind him with his opening 69 at Newmacher Golf Club in Aberdeenshire to sit just inside the top 20.
Conor O’Rourke and Jonathan Caldwell lie one shot behind McElroy. Caldwell made the turn at -1 after two birdies and a bogey, and traded one of each on the way home, while O’Rourke bogeyed his second and second last holes, but reeled off three birdies in a row to start his back nine.
Ronan Mullarney and Cormac Sharvin sit tied for 61st on level-par, while Conor Purcell (+3), Paul McBride (+4) and John Murphy (+5) all have considerable work to do to make it through to the weekend.
Deon Germishuys and Peter Launer Baek share a one-stroke lead after posting six under par rounds of 65..
South African Germishuys overcame an opening bogey to fire five birdies on the front nine and make the turn on four under par. Three more gains on the back nine, alongside a bogey, earned him a share of pole position, one clear of Denmark’s John Axelsen and Scotland’s Jack McDonald, heading into the second round.
The 24-year-old was pleased with his performance on day one at Newmachar Golf Club, a course he feels is suited to his game.
“I felt like I played really good today,” he said. “The whole game was good. I drove the ball well, my iron play was good, my wedge game was good, and I made a ton of putts – that really helped today.
“I like it when the greens are firmer, I spin the ball quite a lot and hit it high, so I feel like it benefits me. When you’re playing into the wind and going into a back flag, it’s easier to hit a lower shot with a long club and chase it into the back of the green. It’s difficult coming down wind, but I enjoyed it.”
Launer Baek posted six birdies in a bogey-free opening round to join Germishuys at the top of the leaderboard, and attributed his blemish-free scorecard to keeping the ball in play off the tee and putting well.
“I putted really well,” the Dane said. “I didn’t hit all the greens, but I holed some long putts for birdie on the front and stayed patient with my approach play.
“It’s hard out here and you have to fight for par on some of the holes. There were some tricky pins, so you had to be on the correct side of the green, and the greens were firm, so it was a good test.
“The wind picked up a bit and it got colder when I made the turn. I could feel some rain out there and I knew I needed to find the fairway on the last few holes. It was a testing last stretch but I’m really happy that I kept it in play.”
Home favourite McDonald shares third place with Denmark’s Axelsen on five under par, while 11 players are a shot further back in fifth, including Englishmen George Bloor, Brandon Robinson-Thompson, Lee Slattery and Jonathon Thomson.