Former Par on the ball inaberdeen

NEIL FENWICK was torn between the Pars and the pars, but is happy he’s now made the golfing choice.

The 23-year-old former Dunfermline Athletic defender opted to leave his football career behind him four years ago to concentrate on his other talent, and it seems to be working as he is putting in another impressive performance at the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open.

James Byrne leads with a second impressive 66 over the Meldrum House course ahead of another Banchory man in Greig Hutcheon, while Fenwick shot a threeunder 67 at Meldrum House yesterday to lie third, the position in which he finished in last year’s event.

Neil feels he has made a step in the right direction by turning his back on football, although it’s tinged with a little regret.

“Every boy grows up wanting to be a professional footballer, and I was no different, but I was also pretty good at golf,” he explained.

“I had a tough choice to make for a 16-year-old and decided to concentrate on football. I was with Dunfermline playing mostly as a centre-back from then until I was 19.”

Fenwick played mostly for the reserves but was called on to the bench by then manager Steve Kenny for a handful of SPL games until the Pars were relegated and he decided to change tack.

“I just felt the time was right to go to golf and although I had a chance to take a scholarship in the USA I decided to take the PGA route,” he explained.

Neil’s had a good deal of work to catch up but having fully qualified as a PGA pro under Jacky Montgomery at Dunbar is starting to see the results in his second season as a full-time player, his 16th place in the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Aviemore convincing him he is on the right track.

FormerWalker Cup star Byrne isn’t quite sure whether this is the first pro event in which he has led but, after an ominously assured performance yesterday, he’s well worthy of his commanding advantage.

“I think I might have briefly led after a couple of eagles to get to 10-under at the Dunhill last year, but I certainly haven’t won as a pro yet, so it’s maybe time to rectify that over the next couple of days,” said Byrne.

The 23-year-old had six birdies and narrowly missed a four-footer at the last which would have had him three ahead of Hutcheon. Byrne’s highlight was a birdie at the seventh hole, a drive and four-iron to 10 feet just as a heavy shower swept across the course.

First-round leader Jason McCreadie dropped back to share third with Fenwick, and equalling Byrne’s best round of the day was Downfield’s Ken Hutton, who followed up his excellent performance at the Scottish PGA Championship with a four-under 66 to move up to two-under.

Adam Dunton also shot 66 and was the leading qualifier of the Scottish international amateur squad on one-under and most of the team came through to play the final two rounds.

Heather MacRae was unable to sustain her decent form of the first round and missed the cut with a 79 which included a lost ball.

Neil Fenwick lies joint-third.