Forsyth and O'Hara share spoils in West Linton Challenge

This season's Road to Gleneagles race is heading for an exciting conclusion after Paul O'Hara and Alastair Forsyth shared victory in the latest Tartan Tour Order of Merit event.

The pair finished locked together on seven-under-par, three shots clear of the field, in the West Linton 36 Hole Order of Merit Challenge.

Two-time European Tour winner Forsyth (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) produced one of the best rounds of the year in carding an eagle and five birdies in an opening 62.

That earned him a three-shot lead over nearest challenger O'Hara heading into the second circuit, with Marc Owenson (Gullane), Graham Forbes (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) and Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie Golf Links) all four back.

The second day saw O'Hara, last year's Tartan Tour No 1, storm to the turn in 31, four-under-par, following birdies at the second, fourth, seventh and eighth.

The North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd-attached player then birdied the 15th to put himself on course for victory before finishing bogey-bogey.

Forstyh also dropped a shot at the last as he carded a 69 as the pair each picked up £850.

After adding a 68, Owenson finished joint-third with Clydeway Golf's Graham Fox (66-66) as both McNicoll and Forbes fell away with rounds of 72 and 75 respectively.

The result lifted O'Hara into a share of the lead in the Road to Gleneagles with West Linton's Gareth Wright, winner of the Northern Open earlier in the year, on 635 points.

Having won outright in the previous counting event at Newmachar, Forsyth is sitting third on 532.5 points, followed by Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) on 502.6 points.

Hutcheon won the 30th anniversary McDonald Pro-Am with a four-under 66, finishing a shot ahead of both Fox and Greg McBairn (Newmachar).