Jonathan Caldwell is the best of the Irish at the Scottish Challenge on the European Challenge tour.
Caldwell shot a back nine 31, which included an eagle and three birdies, to post a five-under-par 66 to sit in a tie for fourth, one off the lead at Newmachar golf club.
The Northern Irishman shot one-under-par on his front nine – the back nine on the course – before catching fire at the turn. From the second hole, he went eagle, birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie to race up the leaderboard.
Sweden’s Christofer Blomstrand and South Africa’s Casey Jarvis are tied for the lead on six-under, with Caldwell in a five way tie one back alongside Jerome Lando-Casanova, Tomas Gouveia, Jordan Zunic and local pair David Law and Calum Fyfe.
Jarvis was amongst the morning wave that made the most of the bright and breezy conditions at Newmachar Golf Club in Aberdeen, as he went in search of a second win of the season following his victory at the Euram Bank Open last month.
The 20-year-old South African set the pace with an incredible finish to his opening round 65, playing his last five holes in six-under-par, including a hole-out eagle on the par four 14th. By the end of the day he shared a one-shot lead with Swede Blomstrand, who recorded six birdies in a bogey-free round.
Conor Purcell shot a one-under-par 70 to sit in a tie for 47th place, while Dermot McElroy is one further adrift and tied for 68th.
It was a disappointing day for both Cormac Sharvin and Jonathan Yates. Yates shot a three-over 74 but Sharvin took two more and both will need better days on day two to make the cut.
Day two is underway in Scotland and all the Irish contingent are on the course. You can follow their progress by clicking the leaderboard below
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