Golf: Neil Henderson sets early pace in East Alliance

Renaissance Club man Neil Henderson is setting the pace in the race to be No 1 on this season’s East Alliance circuit after making a consistent start to the campaign.

Henderson picked up the Michael Allan Memorial Trophy after carding a scratch 63 at Glencorse in the season-opener.

And he has backed that up with subsequent points-scoring performances at Newbattle, Royal Musselburgh, Duddingston and Musselburgh.

In the latest event, Henderson carded a 67 at Monktonhall to share top spot in the scratch section with fellow pro Ian Anderson from Shotts.

The matching two-under efforts left the pair two shots ahead of both Zander Culverwell (Renaissance Club) and Andrew Oldcorn (Ratho Park) in joint-third.

Henderson also picked up the Ramsay Trophy in that event as he pipped Anderson, as well as amateurs John Bell (Glenbervie) and Scott Girvan (Baberton), with a better back nine in the overall contest.

After the first five events, Henderson tops the scratch Order of Merit with 259.5 points, leading the way from amateur duo Craig Surgeon (Newbattle) and David Rudd (Longniddry) on 243.5 and 242 respectively.

Helped by claiming the Andrew Oldcorn Trophy with a net 66 at Royal Musselburgh, Surgeon also sits in second spot in the handicap standings, just behind Mortonhall’s Scott Fraser, with Ross Callan from Bathgate also to the fore in that title battle.

Top senior at Musselburgh was local man Ian Fyfe, who shot a 68 off four, while top trainee was the Glen’s Michael Bacigalupo on 71.

At Newbattle, new member Toby Bailey from Duddingston claimed the Bernard Gallacher Trophy with an impressive net 65 playing off five.

Other trophy winners so far have included Royal Aberdeen’s Jordan Whyte, who got his hands on the Bootland Trophy with a net 70 at Duddingston.

A visit to Lochgelly is next up a week today before members head to Eyemouth on 4 December.