Having crafted a three shot lead for himself heading into the final round of the Tartan Tour's £50,000 P&H Championship at the Renaissance Club, Paul Robinson continues to prove that he is, well, a bit of a Renaissance man.

They'll be calling him da Vinci at this rate.

In a rigorous, buffeting breeze over the East Lothian links, the 26-year-old from Largs harnessed the conditions to good effect and added a battling one-under 70 to his shimmering opening round of 65 for a seven-under 135 and a healthy advantage over former Scottish PGA champion David Orr.

Bolstered by his rousing late charge during Monday's first round, which included a back-nine of just 29 shots, Robinson cemented his position at the top with a dogged card that was illuminated by a putt of 15 feet for an eagle on the third. It's 22 years since that well-kent Largs man, Sam Torrance, won the last of his five Scottish PGA Championship titles and Robinson is now in a prime position to take another significant Tartan Tour crown 'doon the watter'.

"It's not a position I'm used to being in but I was in the last group in the Paul Lawrie Invitational last year so hopefully that will stand me in good stead," admitted Robinson.

The man he partnered in that event was Greg McBain and he is lurking in the upper echelons again after a best-of-the-day 67 that included three birdies in a row from the fifth and an eagle on the 16th as he moved into a share of third with Paul Wardell and Stephen Gray on 139.

McBain's next trip to East Lothian will be in July's Scottish Open qualifier at North Berwick and with five places on offer for the lucrative domestic showpiece, the 31-year-old knows it's going to be a big opportunity.

"The anticipation levels for that are huge," he said. "If you can get into the Scottish Open and have a good week there, your career could spiral. That's the way you have to look at it."

Sandwiched between Robinson, McBain, Gray and Wardell is the menacing figure of Orr, who recovered from a three-putt bogey on the first with three birdies in his next four holes on his way to a 70 for 138. "I know how to win so if I'm given the chance, I'll not back away," he said.

Timing counts for a lot in this game and Cardross's Cameron Farrell got his spot on with a hole-in-one on the 15th that was rewarded with a Hublot watch worth £6,200 courtesy of ROX the jewellers. There were a few envious glances being cast in the clubhouse from those with more humble timepieces on their wrists.