O'Donnell cards course-record 63 at Linlithgow

Stirling's Mark O'Donnell produced a blistering effort to finish seven shots clear of a strong field in the Young Pros' Order of Merit Series at Linlithgow.

Illuminated by two eagles, he set a new course record at the West Lothian venue with a seven-under-par 63 to leave two former European Tour players trailing in his wake.

Peter Whiteford, who is now attached to Linlithgow, and Steven O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd) had to settle for a share of second spot with Thomas Higson (The Gleneagles Hotel) as O'Donnell conjured up one of the best rounds of the season on the Tartan Tour.

It was sparked by his first eagle, a two at the fifth, having already picked up a birdie two holes earlier. His second eagle came at the par-5 13th while his card contained another five birdies, the last of which was a two at the penultimate hole.

Other winners in recent days on the PGA in Scotland circuit have been Greig Hutcheon, Stephen Gray and Nicholas Gardiner.

Hutcheon claimed his success in the Pollok Pro Am with a four-under-par 67, the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre player pipping Paul O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd) by a shot with West Linton's Gareth Wright third on 69.

Gray and Gardiner, meanwhile, shared the spoils in the Cawder Pro Am with matching three-under-par 67s.

Gray, who is attached to Lanark, had four birdies in first 16 holes before dropping his only shot at the 17th while the host club's Gardiner made his score with a burst of six birdies in nine holes from the sixth.

They finished a shot ahead of Mearns Castle Golf Academy duo Gavin Hay and Alastair Forsyth.