Tie at the top for scratch at Gullane courses

Mar 31 2011 West Lothian Courier

THE Alliance boys got a good day down at the coast for their championship at Gullane’s number two and three courses last midweek — and there was a tie for the top scratch aggregate in the end between former European Tour regular Andy Oldcorn of King’s Acre and Jamie Morris of Eyemouth.

Both had 69 on the longer number two with 65’s on the shorter track.

They shared the Uniroyal Trophy for their efforts.

Morning leaders had been Royal Burgess amateur Ian Taylor, a former club champion at the West Lothian club and a regular in Bo’ness league and Courier sides for many years with a 68 on the longer course while Daniel Wood of Eyemouth managed a 62 on number three.

Both fell away slightly in the afternoon but still shared third place on 135 and for Taylor there was the consolation of picking up the Gavin Clark Trophy for best net with his 133 off a one handicap.

West Lothian pro Alan Reid managed a joint fifth spot in the scratch with his 136 total, only a couple behind the winners.

A couple of mentions as well for other players from our area. Andy Rothney of Deer Park had the best net return on number two in the afternoon, a 71, while Bathgate’s Callum Nisbet who helps Stuart Callan out in the pro’s shop there had a net 64 on number three to win a prize for lowest return on that course.

And, as anticipated, the Order of Merit went to Greenburn’s Scott Catlin who bolstered his points total with an afternoon best 69 on number two.

Andy Marshall of Houstoun Driving Range finished fourth with Stuart Callan of Bathgate ending up in 6th place.

It has been a momentous and unprecedented week for Scottish golf with wins for two of our sons in events on each side of the Atlantic.

Paul Lawrie the former Open Champion held on to win in Andalucia while Glasgow born Martin Laird fought back tremendously well to win Arnold Palmer’s prestigious tournament at Bay Hill in Florida on what was a very tough course even for the cream of world golf.

Our own Stephen Gallacher strangely had one of his poorest shows for some time when he failed to make the cut in the Spanish event.