European Tour — Paul Lawrie made a brilliant start to the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay with a formidable 5&4 victory over Frenchman Romain Wattel at Murcar Golf Links.

Lawrie could have been forgiven a few first round nerves as he attempted to juggle being the tournament’s host and hometown hero, but he rose to the challenge magnificently as he took down one of Europe’s most talented young players.

While Lawrie emerged victorious in the first round of the straight knock-out competition, the tournament’s other Major Champion, American John Daly, was forced to catch an early flight home as he lost to Spain’s Jorge Campillo on the 18th green.

Other notable results from a thrilling first round of match play saw Michael Hoey beat Maximilian Kieffer 2 and 1 and the tournament’s other hometown boy – Richie Ramsay – recover from three down through seven holes against India’s Shiv Kapur to win one up on the last green having birdied the final two holes.

The tournament’s Number One seed, James Morrison, justified his status with a 2&1 win over Pelle Edberg.

Round One Results:

1. Julien QUESNE (FRA) bt Tom LEWIS (ENG) 1 hole
2. Scott HEND (AUS) lost to Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 1 Hole
3. Maximilian KIEFFER (GER) lost to Michael HOEY (NIR) 2&1
4. Kristoffer BROBERG (SWE) bt  Richard FINCH (ENG) 2&1
5. Richie RAMSAY (SCO) bt Shiv KAPUR (IND) 1 Hole
6. Magnus A CARLSSON (SWE) lost to Edoardo MOLINARI (ITA) 5&4
7. Matthew FITZPATRICK (ENG) bt Bradley DREDGE (WAL) 6&4
8. Peter UIHLEIN (USA) bt Oliver WILSON (ENG) 2 Holes
9. Chris WOOD (ENG) bt Jbe KRUGER (RSA) 5&4
10. Jorge CAMPILLO (ESP) bt John DALY (USA) 2 Holes
11. Raphaël JACQUELIN (FRA) lost to Seve BENSON (ENG) 2&1
12. Grégory HAVRET (FRA) bt David HORSEY (ENG) 5&4
13. Alex LEVY (FRA) bt Mark FOSTER (ENG) 2 Holes
14. Morten Ørum MADSEN (DEN) bt Alvaro QUIROS (ESP) 3&2
15. Tyrrell HATTON (ENG) bt Darren FICHARDT (RSA) 4&3
16. Robert ROCK (ENG) lost to Mikael LUNDBERG (SWE) 3&1
17. Anthony WALL (ENG) lost to Chris DOAK (SCO) 1 Hole
18. Romain WATTEL (FRA) lost to Paul LAWRIE (SCO) 5&4
19. Thomas AIKEN (RSA) bt Scott JAMIESON (SCO) 3&2
20. Andrew DODT (AUS) bt Oliver FISHER (ENG) 19th
21. Alejandro CAÑIZARES (ESP) bt Lucas BJERREGAARD (DEN) 7/6
22. Marcus FRASER (AUS) lost to Robert KARLSSON (SWE) 3&2
23. Grégory BOURDY (FRA) lost to Nicolas COLSAERTS (BEL) 2&1
24. Trevor FISHER JNR (RSA) bt Thorbjørn OLESEN (DEN) 2 Holes
25. David HOWELL (ENG) bt Daniel BROOKS (ENG) 19th
26. Thomas PIETERS (BEL) lost to David DRYSDALE (SCO) 19th
27. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) bt Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 19th
28. Andrew JOHNSTON (ENG) lost to Graeme STORM (ENG) 1 Hole
29. James MORRISON (ENG) bt Pelle EDBERG (SWE) 2/1
30. Johan CARLSSON (SWE) bt Marco CRESPI (ITA) 2/1
31. Marc WARREN (SCO) bt Richard BLAND (ENG) 1 hole
32. Felipe AGUILAR (CHI) lost to Fabrizio ZANOTTI (PAR) 1 Hole

Quadruple bogey blues for Seamus

Web.com Tour — Seamus Power made five birdies but a quadruple bogey eight meant he still opened with a four over 76 in the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank. 

The West Waterford man started on the back nine at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi and birdied the 11th. But he then had two penalty drops as he made eight at the par-four 12th and racked up a double bogey seven at the 14th and a bogey at the 16th to go six over.

The Charlotte based Waterford man then birdied the 18th to turn in 41 and picked up shots at the second, third and fifth only to drop two more at the sixth and eight for his second highest round of the season.

Power, 28, has made 10 cuts from 16 starts and earned $65,179 to be 61st in the money list with one top 10 and seven top 25s with the Top 25 earning PGA Tour cards

Kelly Kraft shot 63 in Utah to lead by three on nine under. 

Seven proves costly for Meadow

LET/LPGA Tour — A triple bogey seven at the eighth damaged Stephanie Meadow's hopes of making the cut though she fought back to card a two over 74 in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at the Trump Turnberry Resort in Ayrshire.

The Jordanstown native is tied for 93rd, nine shots behind Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim, wh carded a superb seven under par 65 to storm into a one shot lead over New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and America’s Cristie Kerr (66s) and with two other Koreans, Q Baek and So Yeon Ru, on five under par 67. 

Reeve making strides

EPD Tour - Mourne's Reeve Whitson tied for 23rd in the Lotos Polish Open 2015, carding rounds of 73 74 73 to to finish on four over par at earn €382.20. 

Germany's Martin Keskari won by a shot on five under after rounds of 72 68 and 71 at Sierra Golf Club in Wejherowo.

Whitson is 50th in the money list with €2,879.25 and six top 25s from his 13 starts so far. Headfort's Rory McNamara is 40th with Lucan's Richard O'Donovan 55th.