Fraser Cromarty was the surprise leader with a five-under-par 66 at the end of the first round of the Macgregor Scottish assistants championship at Balbirnie Park, Fife yesterday. Scores:

66 - F Cromarty (Inverness). 67 - D Orr (Et Renfrewshire). 69 - S Smith (Gleneagles Hotel), D Drysdale (Dunbar), N Scott-Smith (Dullatur), C Lee (Glenbervie). 70 - R Gordon (Belleisle), I Kennedy (Bonnyton), N McGill (King James VI), D Kenny (E Kilbride). 71 - S Greig (Crail). 72 - S Craig (Dalziel Park), J Stevenson (Braehead), G McBain (H'bush), P Arthur (T'house), G Forrester (Balbirnie Park). 73 - N Fraser (B'birnie Park), K Pickard (Dunfermline), M Pirie (Crieff), P Malone (Kingsknowe), B Moore (Routenburn), A Purdie (Bothwell Castle), D Nelson (Roxburghe), A Reid (unatt), C Fisher (E Renfrewshire), N Douglas (Liberton), P Alexander (Caldwell), A Locke (B'rgowrie), D Downie (Brunston Castle), P Paterson (Ladybank), D Andrews (Royal Troon). 74 - D Boyce (Old Course Hotel), J Robertson (Glasgow), D McCallum (Paisley), D Love (Hooge Graven), S Gourlay (Winterfield), S Cairns (Glasgow),

K Harrison (W'craigs), C Doak (Normandy Golf Range), B Whalen (P'head), M Buchan (King's Links). 75 - R Fyvie (T'allan), G Sneddon (Cawder), S Murray (Murcar), G McFarlane (L Lomond), D Fleming (Turnberry Hotel), C Nugent (T'allan), D McCormack (N'machar), C Donaldson (unatt), J Porteous (B'knowe), E Gordon (Forres), S Orr (Caldwell), G McInnes (Murcar). 76 - D Bell (D'field), I Butcher (Braid Hills Golf Range), G Lochead (Forfar), D McIntosh (Normandy Golf Range), S Dixon (Marriott Dalmahoy), G Paterson (Barassie), G Boswell (Gleddoch House), B Williams (Montrose), P Wytrazek (B'island), C Munro (Ranfurly Castle), K Stevenson (T'berry Hotel), A Duncan (Moray), S Mees (K'spindie), A Mackrell (Cawder), D Nicoll (B'birnie Park).

77 - C Young (G'mouth), B Hurley (unatt), S Kennedy (Pitreavie), J Stark (Swanston), A McGregor (W'craigs), J Davidson (unatt), I Roy (unatt), R Cameron (McDonald Ellon), C Taylor (Hewer Golf Centre), T Marshall (D'ston), C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park), M M Urquhart (Inverness), P Lawrie (Turnberry Hotel), G Lister (Inverness), T Gray (Cruden Bay), C Lumsden (unatt), S Gray (Hayston), J Mooney (Merchants of Edinburgh). 78 - S McCaw (Montrose), R Brian (B'sfield Links), I Hanna (Arbroath), S McInnes (Lanark), S Brian (Royal Burgess), F Hall (H'burgh), D Mann (Peterculter), D Park (Turnberry Hotel), C Clark (Cruden Bay), D Wright (Carluke), M Berrie (Braid Hills). 79 - S Wilson (Ladybank), S Aitken (unatt), C Mackie (S'craig), M Young (Panmure), S Dougan (Ralston), Miss E Wilson (B'gowrie), R Douglas (Inverness), K McAleer (Normandy GR), A McEwan (Ayr Belleisle).