Scott Rockets to the top at The Roxburghe

Amateur Scott Borrowman played out of his socks to produce a round of 65 on the third day of the First Qualifying Stage Section A at the The Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course.

The man from Clackmannanshire leapfrogged five players to join overnight leader and countryman Neil Fenwick as the front runners going into the final 18 holes.

Fenwick shot a steady two under par 70 to consolidate his brilliant second round of 66, meaning this is the third day in a row that a member of the host nation has topped the leaderboard. It goes without saying that the pair will be looking repeat the feat to lead the qualifiers going into the Second Qualifying Stage in Spain.

Their nearest challengers hail from across the border in the form of Englishmen Jamie Moul and Mark Young. The latter, like Borrowman, an amateur which ensures that there is a good chance of a non-professional progressing through to stage two.

Meanwhile, in the corresponding tournament in Austria, Nico Geyger has a new face joining him in a tie for top spot in the First Qualifying Stage Section A at Golfclub Schloss Ebreichsdorf, after Denmark’s Anders Schmidt Hansen displaced Erik Oja as overnight co-leader with a brilliant four under par 68 in the third round.

Schmidt Hansen will be bubbling with confidence as he approaches the final round, having displayed consistency all week with two prior rounds of 69 and 67.

Chilean Geyger had much to grin about having retained his position atop the leaderboard after day three, despite falling back one shot to 12 under par. After two bogey-free rounds, Geyger found it tougher going and had to be satisfied with a one over par 73.

The duo’s closest rivals lurk ominously one shot back on 11 under par in the shape of American Bo Andrews and fellow Dane Rasmus Hjelm, who shot five under and two under par respectively.<br /><br />The magic number for progression at The Roxburghe is 17th place whilst 20 is the target in Ebreichsdorf (both include ties). Currently seven players make up that final spot in Scotland, including another amateur in Alexander Culverwell, whilst nine are on the mark in Austria going into the final round.