Round Up: Sandy Scott off to good start in US Amateur qualifying

Nairn star Scott carded a three-under-par 67 on the No 2 Course at the North Carolina resort to sit joint-fourth overall in the battle to make the knock-out phase. But Kilmarnock (Barassie) man Walker has a fight on his hands to progress in the USGA event after he was unable to make a birdie in having to settle for a six-over-par 76 on the No 4 Course. Scott, who won on the US college circuit earlier in the year, was one-over after six before igniting his round with back-to-back birdies. He was back to level-par with four to play before producing a burst of three birdies in a row from the 15th. Walker, runner-up in both the Amateur Championship and European Amateur Championship this season, never really recovered from making three bogeys in a row from the second and had six in total in an effort that left him in a share of 179th spot. American Brandon Wu, who won The Open qualifier at Fairmont St Andrews last month, leads after a 65 on No 2, having made his score with a burst of three birdies and an eagle in the final five holes. England’s Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of European Tour star Matt, is tied for eighth after a 68 on No 2 while Amateur champion James Sugrue had a 70 on the same course to sit in the top 30 *** Gullane’s Grace Crawford is the new Scottish Girls’ Under-14s Open champion after producing an eagle to win a play-off at Elgin. Rounds of 77-71 for a level-par aggregate left Crawford in a tie for top spot with Welsh challenger Kasumi Tran (Tenby). Crawford had gone out in three-under in the second round and was two shots ahead before falling one behind playing the last. But, showing her class, the young Scot birdied the par-5 18th to force a play-off then secured victory in style with her eagle as the pair head back down the first. “I’m very excited to win,” Crawford told Scottish Golf afterwards. “Coming down 18, I was just thinking make birdie and see what happens. “Over the two days, I felt I played very well. I really like this course and I thought I played really solid, especially today.” The under-16s title went to Portugal’s Sofia Barroso Sá, who shot rounds of 75-71 for a one-shot success over Grace Mayo from Wales. Top Scot in that event was Loretto School’s Eilidh Henderson, who finished 12th after bouncing back from an opening 85 with a much-improved 72. *** Blairgowrie 12-year-old Connor Graham finished runner-up in the Scottish Boys’ Under-14s Open Championship at Newmachar. Pride of place at the Aberdeenshire venue went to Hagley’s Hugh Adams, who stormed to an eight-shot success following rounds of 62-72 for a brilliant 10-under-par total. But it was also a splendid effort from Graham as he followed an opening 73 with a 69 to finish alongside French youngster David Guyot in the international field. The excellent effort came a fortnight after Graham had also underlined his potential when giving a good account of himself in the Scottish Amateur Championship at Crail. For all the latest Scottish news, sport and features click here, or head to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.