GIMME A COL; GOLF: BMW INTERNATIONAL OPEN Andy begs for Loch in after a 67.

Byline: Bernie McGuire

ANDREW COLTART has again pleaded with Barclays Scottish Open chiefs to hand him an invite - days after sending them a begging letter.

But perhaps the Scot's most persuasive weapon was the fiveunder-par 67 he carved out during the first round of the BMW International Open in Munich yesterday.

Coltart, who is three strokes adrift of leader Retief Goosen, is desperate to play on the Bonnie Banks in a fortnight's time but his lowly Tour ranking means he is not exempt.

Realistically, his only hope is to be awarded a sponsor's invite and he will learn his fate when they meet later today.

And Coltart is praying he wins one.

He said: "You always want to be playing in your national open and being a Scot, there's nothing more satisfying than playing in the Scottish Open. You're playing in front of your family - you're playing in front of your friends and the people who have been supporting you for however long you have been a pro.

"And because it's your national open the dream of getting your name on that trophy is higher than most other events.

"That all makes it hugely important for me to play in it. And although I am in a situation because of poor performances, I believe that when we play national opens, players from that country should be considered.

"Hopefully the organisers will see fit to offer me an invite."

Gruesome

A Loch Lomond representative revealed eight players are seeking the two invites remaining.

And he said Coltart has already stated his case by letter.

The spokesman added: "Andrew wrote a very nice letter to Loch Lomond but there is a number of other players who also have asked for an invite."

They include fellow Scot Martin Laird and Frenchman Jean van de Velde.

The US-based Laird has never played in a Scottish Open while van de Velde finished runner-up in the very first event at Loch Lomond in 1996.

Whatever the tournament offers in golf it's unlikely to be as dramatic and gruesome as the sight Paul McGinley witnessed in Munich.

Scream

The Irishman was playing his second shot on his 16th when a woman, acting as a scorer for his group, slipped on small wooden bridge leading across a water hazard.

The middle-aged lady turned to watch McGinley's ball flight but she slipped, falling heavily on her back before breaking her leg.

McGinley, who carded a 68, said:"I had just played a shot into the green and heard this loud scream.

"It was the woman who had been scoring for our group and I firstly thought it was her back that she'd broken but it was her leg. It looked just awful with the bone sticking out."

Along with Coltart, 13 other Scots feature in the Bavarian capital.

Colin Montgomerie, Gary Orr and David Drysdale are in contention after posting two-under 70s.

Leaderboard...Leaderboard

64 - R Goosen (Rsa).

66 - R Finch.

67-NFasth(Swe),PPrice,ACOLTART,M Lafeber (Ned), D Willett, G Bourdy (Fra), D Lynn.

68 - S Kjeldsen (Den), A Velasco (Spa), S Dodd, R Echenique (Arg), P McGinley, H Stenson (Swe), O Fisher.

69 - A Hansen (Den), N Dougherty, B Grace (Rsa), L Oosthuizen (Rsa), K Ferrie, S S P Chowrasia (Ind), T Jaidee (Tha), P Broadhurst, F Aguilar (Chi), M Millar (Aus), M Brier (Aut), I van Weerelt (Ned), G Fdez-Castano (Spa). Other Scots: 70 - C Montgomerie, G Orr, D Drysdale. 71 - C Doak. 72 - A McLean. 75 - R Ramsay, M Warren. 76 - A Forsyth.

CAPTION(S):

GLAS ACT: Coltart looks focused as he fires one away yesterday