Clash of the titans at Portlethen

The stage is set for a clash of the golfing titans in the second and final round of the North-East Alliance championship at Portlethen Golf Club.

At the end of today's first 18 holes at Buckpool on the Moray Firth coastline, Paul Lawrie of European Tour fame and Greig Hutcheon, last year’s Order of Merit winner, were tied for the lead on five-under-par 65.

"That was my first competitive round since the European Tour event at Dubai a few weeks ago so I am pretty pleased with it," said Lawrie who is skipping this weekend's Tour event in Morocco to support the Dons in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday.

"I hit it very well and kept it in play very well, considering I had not played 18 holes since the Dubai Desert Classic and I have been struggling with sore back and neck.

"So, all in all, I was very happy with how I played. What a beautiful day and it is always nice to play at Buckpool."

His playing attachment, by the way, is the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle.

Buckpool conjures up great memories for Paul. He had a 10 at one hole and still won the Alliance event at this venue in 1999... and that year, of course, he went on to win the Open at Carnoustie.

Lawrie, who cut his competitive teeth on the NE Alliance circuit as a PGA assistant at Banchory, won the championship in 1989 and 1991. Hutcheon has never won it although he came pretty close 12 months ago when he and John Duff had the lowest 36-hole aggregates and the Newmachar amateur was declared the title winner with the better second round.

Ironically, Hutcheon left his Banchory Golf Club tour attachment to play out of the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre only a few weeks ago.

"I'll have to watch what I am doing in the second round," he quipped. "Beating the boss is not good for one's career prospects!"

Hutch was hitting it vast distances off the tee. For instance, he drove the green at the 308yd par-five 12th and had an eagle two chance but had to be content with a two-putt birdie.

Greig also got home in two with two good hits at the 17th (529yd) for another two-putt birdie.

Hutcheon and Lawrie led by two shots from two more from the Paul Lawrie "stable" David Law and Jordan Findlay, both 67, but they will be absent from the Portlethen field next Wednesday when they will be in Egypt for a couple of German PGA developmental tour events.

Defending champion John Duff had a 71.