Bathgate edge Linlithgow to inch towards final

May 26 2011 West Lothian Courier

BATHGATE’S home win over Deer Park in the Linlithgowshire Summer League on Friday has put them a long way towards winning Section ‘A’ of the league and taking their place in the end of campaign final.

Deer Park and Pumpherston, with a game fewer completed, remain their nearest rivals four points in arrears.

In Section ‘B’ the picture is less clear with West Lothian looking the likeliest to top the heap despite dropping their first point at Uphall.

Greenburn, after a whitewash of Niddy Castle at Winchburgh on Friday, remain their nearest rivals, on the same points total as the Bo’ness side, but with a game more completed.

Results: Section ‘A’ — Bathgate 4.5 Deer Park 1.5, Pumpherston 4.5 Dundas Parks 1.5.

Section ‘B’ — Uphall 3 West Lothian 3, Niddry Castle 0 Greenburn 6.

Still on Linlithgowshire business, the county Seniors were due out in numbers, more than 100 have entered, for their county championship at Deer Park today (Thursday).

And Deer Park has had the qualifying in three sections for its Club Championships on a wild and woolly day at Carmondean.

George Sutherland was top scorer in the Championship itself with a highly creditable 149 total, two better than next placed, young Josh Renwick. And with the first qualifier going in against the last man to make it for next week’s matchplay it is no easy task for George who has never won the title.

His opponent is to be David Thomson who has his name on the champ’s board more times than anybody else. Thomson has not been in the best of form this season but will still be a big hurdle for Sutherland to overcome.

In the Second Class event it was the 161 total of William Whitefield which carried the day and his first round opponent is to be Stewart Hendrie.

In the Third Class the leader was Ryan Chapman on 181 and the man he has to face this coming Tuesday is Robert English.

Before leaving Deer Park news the previous Wednesday’s medal should be given a mention. Runaway winner with a superb return of 75-11=64 was Malcolm MacDonald.

And his score was no fewer than eight better than next placed Jamie Gardner (5).

Mark Mills at Linlithgow recorded a fine 73-10=63 to win Saturday’s Galaday Trophy at the club. Mark’s return was two better than next placed James Campbell (9).

Shotts got the same tough conditions for its long standing open for the Morrison Trophy and it was a local member, John Mulvey, who defied the conditions to score a fine net 68 off his thirteen mark and he even had the luxury of a double bogey at the last and still was successful.

Best scratch after a countback from three others was the 77 recorded by another home club member, Colin Dick.

Meanwhile at Harburn there was a good turnout over both days at the weekend for the 36 hole Storry Cup.

Leader on Saturday was eighteen handicap man Ian Johnstone with a grand net 65 but it was to deteriorate quickly the next day for him.

An opening par was followed by a horrid eight at the second and there were five seven’s on his card to follow in a net 78 which dropped him to joint third with Alan Thomson (12).

Winner in the end was eight handicapper Robert McDowall with a 141 aggregate, a shot ahead of runner up Alex Bathgate (5).

The previous Wednesday in the Kirk Qualifier it had been Cameron Adam (7) and Ged Sharkey (6) at the top on 68 net.

And in the Ladies’ Spoon event last week at the club it was Agnes Cosgrove (28) at the head of proceedings with a net 72, two better than nearest rival Fiona Smith (14) with Eileen Montgomery (29) in third on 75 net.

Another of the good scores I was talking about earlier came at Greenburn in their Heineken Trophy on Sunday when Scott Connor had a super 68 scratch, 63 net, despite three bogeys on his card, to carry the day by no fewer than four shots from runner up Callum Brown (9)

Pumpherston members were out in numbers last week for their second Midweek Medal of the season and here it was the 90-24=66 of Billy Bishop which came out on top, though only by a shot from both Lewis Armit (19) and Craig Cruikshank (4).