LATEST EAST OF SCOTLAND OPEN NEWS

JOHN GALLAGHER LEADS BY THREE SHOTS

John Gallagher, winner of the Tennant Cup last weekend with a come-from-behind surge on the Sunday at Killermont, has a different victory plan for the Swallow Hotels East of Scotland Open amateur stroke-play championship at Lundin Golf Club this weekend.

Unorthodox golfer John – he grips the club with his left hand below his right for all his shots - is three shots clear of a high-class field going into Sunday's final 36 holes over the Fife links.

On a day of low scoring, Gallagher, a member at the Swanston club near Edinburgh, hit the high spot with a 12-under-par tally of 66 and 64.

His nearest challengers on 133 are Scott Mann (Carnoustie), winner of the Craw’s Nest Tassie over his home links last year, and Duncan Stewart (Grantown-on-Spey).

Stewart has recently come home for the summer after a great 2005-2006 season for Jacksonville University, Florida on the American college circuit.

Both Mann and Stewart shot 68-65 in the opening rounds.

Defending champion Wallace Booth (Comrie) missed out on the festival of birdies and eagles. He scored 72 and 70 for level par 142 to be tied for 34th place and made it through among the qualifiers for the final two rounds with nothing to spare.

SWALLOW HOTELS EAST OF SCOTLAND OPEN

Lundin Golf Club, Fife

LEADING SECOND ROUND TOTALS

Par 71

130 J Gallagher (Swanston) 66 64.

133 S Mann (Carnoustie) 68 65, D Stewart (Grantown on Spey) 68 65.

134 B Fotheringham (Forres) 65 69, S Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 66 68.

135 L Saltman (Craigielaw) 69 66, M Kerr (Dalmahoy) 70 65, S Borrowman (Dollar) 65 70.

136 L Kirton (Newmachar) 66 70, K McNicoll (Carnoustie) 72 64, C Macaulay (Tulliallan) 69 67, R Taylor (Downfield) 69 67.

137 P O’Hara (Colville Park) 69 68, J Findlay (Fraserburgh) 68 69, I Colquhoun (Ranfurly Castle) 70 67, T Mathieson (Murcar Links) 66 71.

138 J Byrne (Banchory) 69 69, C Watson (East Renfreshire) 70 68, R Knox (Inverness) 69 69.

139 S Mcallister (Craigielaw) 70 69, J Mathers (Haggs Castle) 72 67.

140 A Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 73 67, J McGhee (Gullane) 70 70, R McKnight (Barassie) 69 71, J King (Glasgow) 72 68, James White (Lundin) 72 68.

141 C Gray (West Kilbride) 71 70, G Murray (Earlsferry Th) 70 71, S McEwan (Barassie) 70 71, S Henry (Cardross) 71 70, R Kellett (Colville Park) 71 70.

142 M Lamb (Haddington) 73 69, S Elder (Kirkcaldy) 73 69, G Paterson (St Andrews New) 72 70, C Colraine (Windyhill) 67 75, R Crowe (Newcastle Utd) 74 68, S Clark (Haggs Castle) 72 70, W Booth (Comrie) 72 70, E Saltman (Craigielaw) 71 71, P McLean (Peterhead) 69 73.

143 G Dear (Murrayshall) 75 68, G Campbell (Murrayshall) 69 74.

144 B Anderson (Cambuslang) 72 72, G Davidson (Southerness) 76 68, J Donaldson (Falkirk Tryst) 71 73, R Dixon (Barassie) 68 76.

145 E McIntosh (Newmachar) 72 73, M Anderson (Leven Th) 73 72.

146 C Heslip (Monifieth) 71 75, F White (Crieff) 77 69..

147 J Mackay (Barassie) 74 73, S Michie (Thornton) 74 73.

148 A Laurence (Baberton) 76 72, Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 77 71, K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 74 74.

149 E Malcolm (Dunfermline) 74 75, R Thornton (US) 72 77.

150 G Crawford (Williamwood) 76 74.

154 C Haugh (Cathkin Breaes) 79 75.

155 A Love (Dumbarton) 80 75.

156 R Leeds (Muckhart) 78 78.