Doak shines on northern exposure
nature of aviemore course emphasised as cut falls at five-over 149 in the northern open
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Overnight leader Chris Doak headed the qualifiers in the Northern Open at the Spey Valley course at Aviemore yesterday.
Greenock’s Doak added a 70 to his opening 68 to end the day on six-under-par 138. The cut fell on five-over 149.
Doak, the 2005 champion, leads Lee Harper (Archerfield) by a shot, with twice winner Jason McCreadie another shot behind, after coming in late in the day with his second 70 of the tournament.
Stephen Gray and Andrew Oldcorn are three shots off pace on 141, with Greig Hutcheon a further shot behind.
Doak's lead could have been greater had he not triple-bogeyed the 11th with a 7 after losing a ball in the heather.
He said: “I am happy enough to be going into the next two days leading the field. If it blows it will certainly be tough out there, especially with all the heather.”
Murray Urquhart’s hopes of retaining the title he won at Skibo last year all but evaporated when he carded a five-over 77 to squeeze past the cut on 148. A disappointed Urquhart said: “I played poorly, didn’t drive well and didn't putt well, so I am right on the mark for the cut and that means an early start.
“If you're not driving the ball well it isn't fun and the rough is fairly unforgiving, but that is the sign of a good course."
Andrew Oldcorn is using the Northern Open to prepare for next week's PGA championship at Wentworth, an event he won in 2001, and the 48-year old is well in contention after adding a 70 to his opening 71. Oldcorn said: “It is a good track, I like it, although there are a couple of questionable holes.
“The seventh is a terrible hole, not in keeping with the rest of the course, and the 635-yard par-5 fifth has been built for a west wind while this week we have been playing into a north-easterly, so you can’t fly the bunkers 70-80 yards short of the green.
“But the rest of the course is fantastic. They are staging a Challenge Tour event here next year and it will be a good venue for that.”
Archerfield assistant Lee Harper was the early clubhouse leader, adding a three-under 69 to his opening 70.
Hayston’s Stephen Gray's eagle-3 at the 17th helped him to a 69, while Peterculter’s Greig Hutcheon, also playing at Wentworth next week, is a stroke back on 142 after 34 putts in his 70.
Hutcheon said: “I had two more putts today than yesterday.
“But I played better and gave myself lots of chances. I am there or thereabouts, but if I don’t start holing some putts I'm not going to contend."
Royal Dornoch assistant Greg McBain is also well in the hunt on level par.
He said: "I am pretty happy, although I am struggling around the greens.
“But, apart from that, I am hitting the ball good off the tee and striking the irons well. I just need a few more putts to drop and I should be all right tomorrow.”
Inchmarlo’s Mark Barnard goes into the third round on level par 144, a stoke ahead of Skibo’s Chris Campbell, and Carluke professional Craig Ronald, whose second round 71 included a hole in one at the fourth.
Aberdonian Scott Henderson carded a disappointing 75 after his opening 71 to go into the third round eight shots off the pace on two over.
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