Richard O’Donovan at Royal Dublin last month. Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ieRichard O’Donovan is hoping to put four solid rounds together and give his Walker Cup hopes a boost after an opening 68 left him just two shots behind England’s Nathan Kimsey in the Scottish Amateur Open Strokeplay at Southerness.

The Lucan man’s one under round was good enough for a share of second place with England’s Garrick Porteous, another Walker Cup hopeful.

Scores

“It could have been even better as I missed two chances from six feet, at 10 and 11,” O’Donovan told scottishgolf.org. “I led the Welsh Open after the first day and did well at the Irish, so hopefully I can keep the form going over the weekend here.”

O’Donovan had five birdies on his card as well as two bogeys and a double bogey at the ninth.

But he wasn’t the only Irishman to go well with Arglass’ Cormac Sharvin and Ballymena’s Dermot McElroy carding level par 69s to share fourth place.

Mourne’s Reeve Whitson had a tough day at the office with a six over 75 leaving him well down the field in joint 65th.

Leader Kimsey, 20, took advantage of early benign conditions on the Solway Firth coast to card a superb 66 thanks to three birdies in his final five holes.