2024 Platinum
Jason McCreadie has never experienced what it's like to be leading a 72-hole tournament, but the 33-year-old from Buchanan Castle in Drymen, Stirlingshire, certainly exuded quiet confidence after carding a three-under 69 over the Torrance course at the St Andrews Bay Resort.
A birdie at the second, an eagle three at the 498-yard fourth- a drive, and a five-iron to six feet - more than cancelled out a dropped shot at the previous hole, and a further gain at the eighth had him out in a three-under 33, at that point five strokes ahead of Matfen Hall's John Harrison.
The blow of what the Scot called "a bad bogey" at the 13th where he drove into deep rough behind the green was soon softened by a steady run of pars, the icing on a good round complete with a two-putt birdie on the long last hole.
On Wednesday another Scot, Gordon Law, had suggested the field would have to rely on Jason to come back to them, but it was Law himself who went some way towards closing the gap, firing a joint best of the day 68 (Harrison was the other) for 209, three behind McCreadie.
"We had perfect conditions out there - I feel a bit sorry for the morning guys (who had a tough wind to contend with), but you take what luck you get. I've been playing decently all week. I was getting impatient going out because I'd had only one birdie, but I did manage to control myself."
He was rewarded by four inward birdies, his round's only flaw a dropped shot at the 17th, a hole that hasn't been good to him (he doubled it the previous day).
Leading Scores:
206 - J McCreadie (Buchanan Castle)
209 - G Law (Uphall) 68 73 68
211 - J Harrison (Matfen Hall) 69 74 68,
212 - I Keenan (Royal Liverpool)
213 - T Spence (unattached) 69 75 69, D McKay (Wellsgreen) 70 72 71
214 - P Simpson (West Berks) 68 74 72
215 - S Henderson (Kings Links) 69 77 69, C Ronald (Carluke) 71 74 70, D Prosser (Shifnal) 70 75 70, R Giles (Greenore) 67 77 71, M McGuire (John Reay GC) 71 73 71, G Ralph (Camberley Heath) 69 72 74
216 - J Langmead (Hele Park) 72 75 69, A Webster (Edzell) 70 73 73
217 - T Nash (Lostwithiel) 73 75 69, S Thompson (Gleddoch) 70 77 70, N Manchip (Royal Dublin) 72 75 70, R Edwards (Lee-on-the-Solent) 70 76 71, J Bevan (Weymouth) 72 74 71, N Ludwell (Selby) 73 72 72, J McTear (unattached) 71 73 73, R Arnott (Bishopbriggs DR), A Hare (Cold Ashby) 71 72 74