Tight at the top at Dundonald

Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) and Louis Gaughan (Bathgate)  share the clubhouse lead on six-under-par 138 with one round to play in the P&H 54-hole championship at Dundonald Links, Gailes in Ayrshire.

Arnott has had a couple of 69s, Fox 68-70 and young trainee Gaughan a pair of 69s.

Overnight joint leaders Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf) and Christopher Currie (Caldwell) both slumped to second-round 76s.

Arnott birdied the first, 12th, 13th and short 15th in halves of 36-33. His only bogey came at the second.

Fox should have been several shots clear of the field but he has a costly finish - a bogey at the 17th and a double bogey 7 at the long 18th.

Earlier he had surged to five under par on the day with birdies at the seventh, ninth, 12th, long 14th and 16th. Halves of 34-36 for a 70 that looked like being a 66 or a 67/68.

Gaughan had six birdies and three bogeys in his repeat 69. He birdied the long third, the short sixth, ninth, 10th, long 14th and long 18th. He shed shots to par at the first, short fourth and 16th in halves of 35-34

Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre got his "catastrophe" in early - a double bogey seven at the long third followed by a four at the short fourth.

Then normal service was resumed with birdies at the long fifth, short 11t and 16th in halves of 38 and 34 for a 72 which puts him on 142.

Alistair Brown (Archerfield Links) is a not-so-well known name up with the leaders: 70 and 69 for 139.

He had seven birdies, including four in a row from the ninth to the 12th. But he also had a double bogey six at the 13th and bogeys at the third and sixth.

There were three categories decided over the first 36 holes, the winners of each to received £1,300.

Joint overall leader Arnott has already collected £1,300 as winner of the Senior Category. Andrew Oldcoat was runner-up for which he received £900.

Gaughan topped the Trainee Section to win the £1,300 top prize ahead of Keir McNicoll (Gullane).

Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) earned the £1,300 top award in the club pro section.

A total of 42 players with 36-hole aggregates of 148 and better qualified for Wednesday's final round. Surprise non-qualifiers were Tartan Tour stalwards Jason McCreadie and Stephen Gray, both on 149, and Scott Henderson (151).