Laurie hits birdie blitz in Evening Express Champion of Champions

LAURIE PHILLIPS is on course to win the Evening Express Champions of Champions tournament for the second time in three years.

The 30-year-old marched into the last eight after a 3&2 victory over Royal Aberdeen’s Mark Halliday, who reached the last eight of the British Amateur Championship at St Andrews five years ago.

Laurie was in blistering form at Cruden Bay as both players fired a birdie barrage.

Plus-two handicapper Laurie said: “I’ve been playing well recently and won the 4-day Open at Cruden Bay for the fourth year in a row last week.

“I haven’t been playing too much really and have been picking and choosing what I’ve played in.”

Laurie took a two-hole advantage with birdie threes at the opening two holes before Mark levelled the match with a birdie three at the third and a birdie two at the fourth.

The fifth was halved in birdie fours and the game remained level after 10 holes.

Laurie took a stranglehold on the match by taking the 11th with a birdie two and winning pars at the 12th and 13th, after Mark found a bunker off the tee at the latter.

However, Mark reduced the deficit to two holes with a winning birdie three at the 14th but Laurie restored his three-hole advantage with a birdie two at the 15th.

Laurie booked his place in the next round after the 16th was halved in par threes.

Laurie now faces a tricky trip to Torphins, a course he has never played before, to face John Tanser as he bids to reach the final for the third time in five years following his 3&2 defeat by former Scotland international Ewan Forbes (Turriff) at Kemnay in 2005.

Both Laurie and Mark are in the North-east District team to play Ayrshire at Largs in the Scottish men’s inter-area team championship on Sunday, August 2.