STEWART, BYRNE AND
SMITH ONLY SEEDS
SURVING AT DUNBAR

Only three of the original eight seeds - James Byrne (Banchory), Kyle Smith (Barassie), both of whom have won twice, and Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) - are still standing after the first two days' action in the Scottish boys' match-play championship at windswept Dunbar Golf Club.
Stewart it was who halted the dismal run of results for the players who had been earmarked to reach the quarter-finals.Prior to that, two more seeded players had joined first-day casualties Scott Fraser, Cameron Gray and Tom Spencer on the sidelines on a very windy morning.
Sam McLaren (King James VI), the Scottish Under-16 boys’ open stroke-play champion from Perth, lost by 3 and 2 to North challenger Jamie Treasurer from the Loch Ness Golf Club at Castle Heather.
Michael Main (Thornton), beaten in last year’s final by fellow-Fifer James White (Lundin), fell at the first hurdle this time round. His conqueror, by 2 and 1, was Mark Kelly from Kirkhill.
The last of the eight seeds to swing into action, Michael Stewart, pictured above, did not take long to get into his stride in beating Ross Muir (Swanston) by 8 and 7.
Later in the day, James Byrne from Banchory, proud possessor of the lowest handicap (+2.6) in the field, became the first seed to win twice. James beat Graeme Reid (Newbattle) by 3 and 2 to enter the third round.
Last year, 18-year-old Byrne lost in the semi-finals of this championship. He leaves for four years at Arizona State University in the autumn.
Then Kyle Smith (Barassie) also swept through to the third round with a 5 and 4 win over Matthew Smith (Royal Aberdeen).
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