Sweden’s Alex Noren is eyeing up a Scottish double after reaching the last eight of the Paul Lawrie Match Play yesterday.
The top seed, the host and all of the remaining Scottish representatives exited the European Tour event on a day of upsets at Archerfield Links.
But Noren, the winner of last month’s Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, managed to set up an all Swedish showdown with Johan Carlsson – the only other top-10 seed left in the competition – with wins against Renato Paratore and Nacho Elvira.
He said: “It is great to be back in Scotland so soon, especially to play a match play event.
“I took a lot of confidence from Castle Stuart because when matches get tight I know I have managed to succeed under pressure.
“It was a great time for Swedish golf because Henrik Stenson went on to win the Open the following week, which is something we have been longing for in Sweden.
“It would be great to win again but it is going to be tough as this was a very tiring day.
“But I have another Swede in the quarters – that is going to be fun.”
Tournament favourite Chris Wood, who knew a victory would have almost guaranteed him a place in the European Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine, was a high profile casualty in the morning’s second round matches.
He was six down at the turn against fellow Englishman Daniel Brooks and, despite a spirited comeback, eventually succumbed to a 2&1 loss.
Host Lawrie was also left “gutted” after losing on the 19th hole against Aussie Richard Green, having been two up with three to play.
Craig Lee was edged out on the 20th hole by Spaniard Elvira, leaving Richie Ramsay, who had eagled the last to defeat Roope Kakko by two holes, and Marc Warren, a 3&2 winner over Magnus Carlsson, as the only Scots to make yesterday afternoon’s last 16.
Warren was 3-up after four holes against South African Haydn Porteous but ultimately lost by a hole in a match that went all the way, while Ramsay was beaten 3&1 by his 2005 Walker Cup teammate Oliver Fisher.
The Englishman said: “I played a lot with Richie when I was younger and he is a great, gritty match player. He won the US Amateur so I knew it was going to be a tough game.
“It was a good win and I was delighted to beat him.”
In a further blow for the tournament organisers, Matt Fitzpatrick – another player likely to make the European Ryder Cup team – was also knocked out yesterday, suffering a 4&3 loss against Spain’s Alejandro Canizares.
That leaves Noren, Carlsson, Porteous, Canizares and Maximilian Kieffer as well as England’s James Morrison, Anthony Wall and Fisher as the last men standing for today’s quarter and semi-finals.