Currie proving too hot to handle at Balmore

Chris Currie, closely pursued by Alastair Forsyth, set the pace in the opening round of the latest Arnold Clark-sponsored Tartan Tour event – the 36-hole Order of Merit Challenge at Balmore Golf Club.

Currie, a member of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland 2017 PGA Cup team who is attached to Erskine Golf Club, served notice of what was to come at the first hole.

He opened with a bride and followed up with five more en route to a four-under-par total of 62.

Forsyth, the runaway winner of the 2019 Titleist and FootJoy PGA Professional Championship who represents Mearns Castle Golf Academy, matched Currie for birdies.

However, he recorded three bogeys but ensured he finished just a shot adrift of the leader on three-under thanks to a birdie at the par-four 18^th.

It also created a two-shot gap between him and four sharing third place on one-under after rounds of 65.

The quartet comprises Nick Drane of Dunbar Golf Club, Gleneagles Hotel’s Thomas Higson, Alan Tait of Golphin and, fresh from qualifying for the final of the Golfbreaks PGA Fourball Championship with Scott Henderson, Torphins Golf Club’s Greig Hutcheon.

The foursome plus Currie and Forysth were the only members of the 58-strong field to break par in the first of two rounds that saw Order of Merit leader Paul O’Hara five shots off the pace on one-over

CLICK HERE to view the full leaderboard from the 36-Hole OOM Challenge - Balmore

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