O'Hara has strong grip on title

Overnight leader Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) started the second round of the Tartan Tour's £50,000 P and H Championship with a two-stroke lead and finished it nine strokes adrift of the new leader, Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf).

Gaughan followed a sparkling five-under 66 with a dismal 79, which included a double bogey five at the short ninth and eight bogeys, as well as two birdies for a 36-hole tally of 145 at Renaissance Club.

At least the Bathgate boy figured among the 45 qualifiers with totals of 148 and better who made the cut for today’s final round.

O'Hara, after a disappointing one-over 37 to the turn, got into top gear on the back nine, birdieing the 10th, 12th, 13th and 17th for a repeat of  his first-day 68 for six-under 139. The He leads by three shots from Irishman Brendan McGovern (69-70) and  Christopher Currie (Caldwell) (69-70), one of the most consistent performers on the Tartan Tour.

Don't rule out Greig Hutcheon either! The Paul Lawrie Golf Centre man - who is due to tee it up in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth on Thursday - shot a 69 for 140 to be fourth on the leaderboard - four off the pace - as he bids to make it three Tartan Tour wins in a row.

Defending champion Paul Robinson (Largs) is on 147 (75-72) as is new Senior PGA champion Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), winner of the P and H title in 2014.