Five West Lothian golfers already through at Western Gailes

Jul 28 2011 West Lothian Courier

THE Scottish Amateur Golf Championship, for once, has been blessed with a good week’s weather and, as if in response to this, there is a good entry from our area.

No fewer than 11 hopefuls were taking part at Western Gailes in Ayrshire in first round matches on Monday and Tuesday.

At time of press five had already gone, although it has to be said that none of them had an easy task, given that the opposition in nearly every case had a lower handicap standing.

Greenburn’s Chris Bell was first to fall, by 3/2 to Alasdair McDougall of Elderslie in Paisley.

Then there was a real surprise in Allyn Dick being dumped, a man ever associated with Shotts, and an Armadale resident, although he entered from the Kingsknowe club in Edinburgh. Dick, a full international last season, fell to the unsung Neil Black of Rowallan Castle at the 19th hole.

This was a particularly disappointing reverse for Dick as he was fresh off a wonderful victory on Sunday in the prestigious Newlands Trophy at Lanark where a glorious last hole pitch-in gave him a one-stroke success over fellow internationalist James White of Lundin.

Then both Scott McClory of Bathgate and Stuart McMehen of Linlithgow went down at the first hurdle against Scott Gibson of Southerness and Colin Haddow of Ranfurly Castle respectively.

Last local to fall on a disappointing day was young Ryan Boyle of Bathgate although he was up against a man of national repute in Jack McDonald of Kilmarnock Barassie. McDonald has been recognised at national level on more than one occasion and comes from good golfing stock: his grandfather is Gordon Cosh, a former Scottish Champion and Walker Cup player.

This was a hard task for the Bathgate golfer before a ball was struck.

But it was not all doom and gloom. Two players from these parts got through on the day.

Bathgate’s Louis Gaughan beat scratch player David Simpson from Crieff by 4/3 while Craig Deerness of Harburn had a resounding 5/4 victory over Fraser Grant from Ralston in Glasgow.

Gaughan has not been in the same barnstorming form that he showed last season so maybe a run at Gailes will be an encouragement to better things.

Deerness has had a good season and is actually foregoing a realistic crack at his home club championship this week to compete on the bigger stage in Ayrshire.

The four other players due out in Tuesday’s part of the draw were James Johnston and Stuart McKechnie of Greenburn and Simon Lockhart and Ed Shannly of Bathgate.

And just a word on another competitor with local connections due to answer the starter’s call on the second day. Jamie Gallacher, entered from Sunningdale, is the son of Bernard Gallacher and cousin of Stephen who won title in the mid-nineties.

While nobody expects Jamie – who is no more than a weekend golfer now – to emulate his cousin, it is nevertheless nice to see him supporting his national championship.

Meanwhile, it has been championship time at Harburn and the leading qualifier on Sunday with rounds of 68 and 70 was former Champion Nicky Henderson.

Three shots behind in second place was veteran Jim Clarkson and with the straight seeding of the match-play draw the pair are due to meet in this Sunday’s final.

The qualifying axe on the 16 through to the knockout stages fell on the 154 mark.

Both players made it to the last eight on Monday evening though it took Clarkson till the 23rd to overcome his opponent.

Still at Harburn, the latest Kirk Rosebowl Qualifying has had a win for Gordon Sommerville with a net 65 off his 17 handicap.

One shot behind in joint second were Mark Littlejohn (6) and Tom Woods (5).

Linlithgow is in tip-top condition and further evidence of this was provided at the weekend with more spectacular scoring from competitors in the club’s Gena McKinnon Trophy.

The winner was Ian Hellen with an excellent 69-9=60, built on a super first nine of 32.

He won by a single shot from seven-handicap James J Campbell who, far from being delirious at his great score, must be kicking himself at what might have been.

He was no fewer than six under par with only four holes remaining but dropped four in that final stretch, including making a double bogey at the short 17th.

Along the road at Niddry Castle it was Paul O’Brien who had a very successful weekend when he picked up the McKenzie Medal for his rounds of 69 and 64 for 133 off his 18 mark.

This was two better than runner-up John Pritchard (20) and four ahead of third-placed Bill Watson (13).

Then at Pumpherston in their fourth Midweek Medal it was the Bishops at it again and not for the first time this season Billy C won the competition with his 85-21=64, though only on a countback from Jim Cleghorn (2) while Billy of the Bishop clan was third with 85-19=66.

And at Uphall in their Seventh Midweek Spoon there was a runaway success for Michael McFadyen.

His 72-12=60 was no fewer than six shots ahead of a trio of golfers in joint second place: Taryne Lowe (15), Chris O’Day (5) and Gary McClements (17).

On Sunday there was a good turnout for the Captain’s Charity Breast Cancer Awareness tournament, with the team of Eddie McCann, Alex Black and Alan McGowan taking the honours with a 117 total from the best two net scores counted on each hole.

At Binny meanwhile their most recent Gents’ Medal was won by Gordon Smith (18) with a net 68 though only on a countback from both Gordon McRobert (19) and Tom Madden (15).

Clive Swindell won the Seniors’ Medal with an 89-24=65 – seven shots ahead of his nearest rival.

And lastly there was a Charity Shootout for Help for Heroes won on Saturday by Graham Roberts while the Texas Scramble on Sunday went to the formation of A Speirs, S Fleming, A Pullen and A McGregor.