STUART WILSON, a former Scottish universities champion, is one match away from a second successive place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Amateur Championship after two impressive wins at Downfield, Dundee, yesterday.

Wilson, 24, who qualified for the Open at Lytham, overcame head pains in both his games, against Barry Hollywood, of Troon, in the morning and then David Elder, of Windyhill, in round five.

He was five under par in the first match, which he won 6 & 5, and, after some painkillers, promptly went from one up against Elder at the 12th to four up at the 15th to win 4 & 3 and finish four under.

Should he win his quarter-final this morning against Martin Laird, of Hilton Park, Wilson will face either Craig Watson, the Scotland captain, or Jonathan King, who recently won the East of Scotland Open.

Watson, of East Renfrewshire, was seven under par with an eagle and five birdies in his 3 & 2 win over Colin Mitchell, of Blairgowrie, and then produced a blistering streak against David Connolly, of West Kilbride.

Watson was two down after five but then won eight out of nine holes from the sixth in six under par to win 5 & 4, finishing four-under for the match and 11-under for the day.

Watson, who has been through to the semi-finals once before, plays down his own chances of winning the title but the quietly spoken former Walker Cup man is definitely in form.

However, Wilson would be wise not to underestimate this morning's match against Laird, 18, a boy international who is making his debut in the championship.

Laird was one down with three to play against Iain Brown, of West Kilbride, but produced a fighting finish with an eagle and two birdies for a two-hole win.

In the bottom half of the draw, there was some impressive scoring from Walker Cup reserve Barry Hume, of Haggs Castle, and Jamie McLeary, the Scottish youth's champion from Glenrothes.

Hume collected two eagles and finished nine under par in beating Steven Wallace, from Prestwick, 2 & 1, while McLeary bagged one eagle and six birdies in his 4 & 3 win over Colin Swanston, of Uphall.

Details

SCOTTISH MEN'S AMATEUR CH'SHIP (Downfield, Dundee).- 4th rd: C Watson (East Renfrewshire) bt C Mitchell (Blairgowrie) 3 & 2; D Connolly (West Kilbride) bt B Adam (Ratho Park) 5 & 4; J King (Cardross) bt G Sangster (Cathkin Braes) 2 & 1; R Thornton (Cardross) bt S McIntosh (Muir of Ord) 2h; S Wilson (Forfar) bt B Hollywood (Troon Welbeck) 6 & 5; D Elder (Windyhill) bt S Duncan (Carnoustie) 2 & 1; I Brown (West Kilbride) bt O Lindsay (Royal Burgess) at 20th; M Laird (Hilton Park) bt P Jamieson (Cathkin Braes) 6 & 5; N MacRae (Cawder) bt D Inglis (Glencorse) 3 & 2; F McLaughlan (Wishaw) bt R Taylor (Cardross) 5 & 4; S Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert) bt G Lowson (Auchterarder) 2 & 1; B Hume (Haggs Castle) bt S Buckley (Prestonfield) 1h; J McLeary (Glenrothes) bt G Latto (Kirkcaldy) w/o; C Swanston (Uphall) bt S Horne (Tulliallan) 2 & 1; F Hutchison (Dunfermline) bt E MacKenzie (Muir of Ord) 1h; G Crawford (Williamwood) bt J Lister (Tulliallan) 5 & 4. 5th rd: Watson bt Connolly 5 & 4; King bt Thornton 2 & 1; Wilson bt Elder 4 & 3; Laird bt Brown 2h; McLaughlan bt MacRae 4 & 3; Hume bt Wallace 2 & 1; McLeary bt Swanston 4 & 3; Crawford bt Hutchison 4 & 3.