O’Hara surges seven clear

Paul O'Hara kept a quadruple bogey 8 off his second-round card - he had one at the 17th in the first round – in an excellent six-under-par 65, two better than his opening score.

It hoisted the Clydeway Golf player seven strokes clear of the field with a halfway aggregate of 10-under-par 132 in the Scottish Young Professionals' Championship at West Lothian Golf Club, Bo'ness.

O'Hara, bidding to retain the title he won in 2013, had birdies at the fourth, fifth, 11th, 12th, 14th and 17th (a three where he had an eight in the first round) in bogey-free halves of 34 and 31.

His nearest challengers over Wednesday's final 36 holes are Carnoustie's Keir McNicoll (Gullane) (70-69) and Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) (73-66) who had an eagle three at the long fourth.

Defending champion Gavin Hay (Nairn Dunbar) was in danger of missing the cut after a first-round 78 but he came storming home in 32 for a 68 and 146, making the cut with four shots to spare.