AYR teenager Ruben Lindsay claimed the top spot in stroke play qualifying at the 125th Amateur Championship in England.

The 16-year-old Ayr Belleisle member finished top of the 64 players who progressed to the match play stage over the famed links of Royal Birkdale which has hosted The Open on ten occasions.

Recording a four-under-par 67, Lindsay was delighted with his round which was highlighted by an eagle on the par-five 15th hole and included birdies at the first, sixth, ninth, and 17th.

 A closing bogey on 18, just his second of the day, did little to dampen the Scottish Boys’ Amateur champion’s spirits as he looks forward to the match play stage of the championship.  

He said: “I am very pleased, I played some really good stuff out there, I just didn’t really make any mistakes until the last. I am really pleased with that round.

“I didn’t really expect anything coming into today, I thought I had been playing some nice stuff so I just wanted to see how low I could go.

“I love match play - match play is my favourite. I won the Scottish Boys’ Amateur Championship last year which was all match play.

“It’s great to be representing Scotland, this is the biggest championship, to put the flag up there, to put my name up there, it’s a great honour.”