Fenwick is toast of Tomatin after 63

Neil Fenwick stole a march on his rivals with a brilliant round of seven-under-par 63 over the world-ranked Royal Dornoch links in the first round of the Tomatin Single Malt 54-hole pro-am.

Despite strong winds to make life difficult, the 26-year-old Dunbar tour pro plundered birdies, notching six in a row from the fourth for an outward half of only 29.

His only bogey came at the 14th but he boosted his bag of birdies to eight with gains at the 15th and 16th in an inward 34.

It is not a Royal Dornoch course record. Stephen Gray (Hayston), winner of the Tomatin event in 2012 and 2013, holds that honour with a 62.

Gray finished late in the day with a par 70, which included a pair of twos, at Royal Dornoch where Greg McBain (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), winner of the recent Paul Lawrie Invitational at Deeside, is Fenwick's closest rivals on the 69 mark.

The three-round tournament is being played over three great links courses in the North.

Gavin Hay (Nairn Dunbar), who lost the Paul Lawrie Invitational play-off to McBain, and Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf), share the lead on three-under-par 68 at Nairn where pre-tournament favourite Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) ran up a double bogey  six at the second in compiling a 70.

At Castle Stuart, Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) led the way with a one-under--par 71, birdieing the 18th to finish the day one ahead of Lloyd Saltman (Archerfield) and Murray Urquhart (Spey Valley) at this venue.

There are 16 pros with amateur teams at each venue. They will rotate round the three courses.