Arnott sets pace in Muir Deer Park Masters

Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) is setting the early pace in the Muir Deer Park Masters with a flawless six-under-par 66 at the Livingston venue.

Arnott birdied the long second, the fifth, the short seventh, long eighth and ninth in a brilliant five-under-par 31 to the turn.

The flow of sub-par figures halted on the inward half but Arnott still kept a bogey off his card and birdied the short 16th in 35 home.

He leads by one from Cawder's Chris Kelly who also had a bogey-free day.

Kelly birdied the long second, the long eighth and ninth to turn in three-under 33 and kept it going with a 2 at the short 10th and a 4 at the long 12th before parring in for a 67.

Garry Forrester (St Andrews Golf School was another who kept a bogey off his card in returning a 67 (33-34).

Another man on the five-under mark, Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle) was the only one of the leaders to notch an eagle at the long 13th but he was also the only one of the front runners to have a bogey - at the 13th.

Gareth Wright (West Linton) and Banchory's Greig Hutcheon, the men who disputed last week's Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship are locked together on 68. Wright had four birdies and no bogeys; Hutcheon five birdies and a bogey at the second.