Golf: Alan is on course for another great year

Jun 4 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

CURRENT captain of West Lothian Golf Club at Bo’ness, Alan O’Neill, won the Linlithgowshire Seniors Championship at Greenburn with a return of 73 on a bright and breezy day last Thursday.

Alan, a scratch or better player for many years — he’s currently plus one — has only just joined the seniors’ ranks.

It has been a great year for the man as, despite his veteran status, he is still Club Champion at West Lothian and he will be defending that title he has already won six times later this month.

There was a great turnout of getting on for 150 ‘oldies’ at Greenburn where it was Pumpherston’s Brian Sanderson, another experienced campaigner, who took the handicap event.

On the club front there continue to be good scores thrown in at Uphall. Ian Bishop’s 73-11=62 won him the John Robb Trophy on Saturday from Bryce Lind (22) by a single shot and this latter return was only a shot ahead of seven other competitors.

One of the seven was Paul Porteous whose 75-12=63 had been at the forefront in the Midweek Medal the previous Wednesday although this only just pipped W Nimmo (17) by a shot.

And Bryce Lind had been in there too with a 64 off his 22 mark, on 64, along with Derek Reid (8) in joint third spot. Maybe it will be Bryce in top spot soon on this form.

Over the road at Pumpherston their most recent Midweek Medal has gone to Andrew Wilson for his 75-9=66 a shot better than runner up R Abercromby.

Nice to see, too, a good scratch return from club back marker Paul Drake — a grand 67 on the day.

Greenburn members were out in droves for the lovely weather on Sunday and their Heineken Trophy.

Top man in the end was Gerry Devine with a super 84-20=64, two ahead of joint second placed Sean Watson (9) and former Club Champion David Fleming (2).

There was a runaway success for Harburn seventeen handicapper D Aitchison in the most recent of the club’s Kirk Rosebowl qualifiers last midweek. His net 62 was no fewer than five better than runners up Billy Deerness (18) and Craig Topping (9).

And still at the West Calder club it was Hazel Deerness keeping golfing success in the family when she paired up with Archer Wilson to win the Pat Montgomery Foursomes with a net 69. Arlene McGarty and Scott Learmonth were second a shot behind.

The ladies also have had their Open Greensomes and top spot went to Agnes Cosgrove of the home club partnered by Dalmahoy’s Rosemary Johnstone with a return of 70.4.

Ashley Montgomery of Harburn and Mount Ellen’s S McGreneghan were runners-up with 73 net while the Deer Park couple C Reid and C Stalley were third placed on 73.2.+

And at Winchburgh there have been a couple of Stableford events in a week at Niddry Castle.

William Sharp won one with 40 points — this gave him the Innes Trophy — while the other for the 25th Anniversary Shield went to Stuart Lennon who amassed 41 points.

At Linlithgow the club’s thirty-six holer for the Tom Graham Trophy has gone to Mark Mills with a net aggregate total of 129, three ahead of runner up Jim Simpson.

And in the Stein Trophy it was the grand 68-5=63 of Craig Mackay which won for him. Graham Blyth (11) along with Alex Gourlay (21) were in joint second on 64 net.