Boys prepare for test

Apr 9 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

YOUNG hopefuls from all over Scotland are playing this week in the Scottish Boys' Golf Championship at Royal Aberdeen and there is a fair representation from West Lothian in the draw.

One of the lads with high hopes would have been Jordyn Rhind of Uphall but he had a really tough one in Monday's first round against Muir of Ord's Ali Begg.

Rhind, a member of Uphall's winning Courier Trophy team last year, fought like a tiger but went out at the second extra hole. Through, though, is club-mate Josh Renwick, a 3/1 winner over Lewis Reid of Fortrose and Rosemarkie.

There was success too for the promising Glenn Ramsay of Bathgate who had a resounding 6/5 victory over Irvine Ravenspark's Chris Butler.

But Dundas' Fraser Hogg found Cameron Nelson of Nairn just too much, going out on the last green to the Highlands player.

There were several local hopefuls not due out until Tuesday with Harburn Champion Stuart Boyle one of them. Stuart is probably our area's best hope for a showing this week and the Courier will be reporting on the progress that is made next week.

Another early season event that had local involvement is the Champion of Champions at Leven in Fife.

It was won on Sunday after a play-off by international Glenn Campbell of Blairgowrie. He had tied on a five under-par total with Peterhead's Philip McLean and got through at the second extra hole.

Two of West Lothian's winning winter league side were in the field, Steven Armstrong of Turnhouse finishing 18th equal and Allyn Dick of Shotts and Kingsknowe, a former Linlithgowshire Champion, in joint 25th.

The 2009 season is slowly staggering to a start. Some clubs are still finishing off winter events while others are off and running, braving chilly winds and and bumpy greens.

Some of the most impressive scoring was down at Bo'ness where the West Lothian Club had its Town Clerk's Trophy on Saturday. CSS was up on SSS by a couple of shots at 73 but that did not mean that some of the players didn't do rather well.

Winner in the end but only after a countback was three handicap Alan Blair with a fine net 68 to pip veteran Ian Cox (5). WM Manson took third off his 15 mark with a 69.

And the leading scratch return was a super 69 by hardy annual Alan O'Neill, getting the season off on the right footing as he so often does.

Meanwhile Linlithgow had a decent turnout in a Midweek Stableford event and the scoring was spectacular. Top man here was Edward Boyle with a fantastic 46 points, two ahead of runner up W Crawford Smith. Third was Jim Graham with 43 and Robert Dow took fourth a point further back.

Over at Uphall they have played their Winter Medal Final and winner was big college lecturer Jamie Culpan with a return of 79-12= 67, a shot ahead of second-placed D Hunter (21) and two better than third man home Derek Reid (8)

And at Harburn it was quite tousy for their Winter Cup with CSS rising to 73. Brian Robertson was unaffected by the elements, however, and recorded a fine 91-24=67 to win by three shots from Jim McEwan (11)

Shotts is always one of the first clubs to get its season underway and in this year's opener for the Haston Trophy it was Anthony Dolan at the head of proceedings with a grand 91-25=66.

This was two better than joint runners up Desmond Quigley (18) and Peter Connelly (24). Of the lower handicap players there were very creditable net 69's for both Kenneth MacLeod (3) and William McRuvie (2).

At Winchburgh on Sunday the Niddry Castle membership was out in force for a stableford event and top of the heap at the end was John Little with 39 points, two better than runner up Eric Howden and three ahead of joint-third Martin Brown and Neil Sammels.

Just along the road at the 'ferry Dundas Parks' members were out in big numbers for their April Medal and there was a stunning winning score to ponder over at the end.

The winner was Stephen Smiles off 19 handicap who had a superb 62, nine under the CSS to win by three from Ian Andrews (18). Third place went to the net 67 of Derek Porteous (22) while the lowest scratch was the 74 of Alan Smith.