SCOTTISH GOLF UNION PRESS RELEASE

BYRNE, STEWART FAVOURITES TO DOMINATE
SCOTTISH BOY' STROKE-PLAY AT CARDRONA

With the ‘Open’ season well and truly underway on Scottish shores this week, Scotland’s future stars of the game will tee up among a field brimming with talented players at the Scottish boys' open amateur stroke play championship next week (Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, 24-26 July).
The boys' national title will be contested at the MacDonald Cardrona Hotel Golf & Country Club, one of Scotland’s parkland gems set in the picturesque Scottish borders near Peebles.
The event has produced a number of notable champions who have gone on to grace the upper echelons of the amateur game. In 2003, Lloyd Saltman etched his name on the trophy, before progressing to the men’s game to distinguish himself with a stunning array of accolades, including his sensational Open silver medal winning performance in 2005.
Previous winners also include Scottish international Scott Henry (2004) - who narrowly missed out on holding the stroke-play title over two consecutive years, a ‘double feat’ he was only able to clinch in the Scottish match-play event – as well as Scott Jamieson, who is now carving out a promising professional career on the other side of the atlantic.
Aspiring golfers travelling from as far a field as New Zealand, Singapore and the US - as well as a strong contingent from Europe - will provide fierce competition in this three day tournament. Last year’s champion Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) is too old to contest the title – leaving a wide field of hungry hopefuls keen to cast their eyes over the silverware.
The two lowest handicappers in the event, Scottish caps James Byrne and Michael Stewart will start as two of the favourites. Troon Welbeck star Stewart, who has regularly competed at the highest level on the domestic and international circuit for Scotland, will be keen to get his first SGU ‘major’ individual title under his belt.
Banchory teenager James Byrne, who graduated to the men’s game at the European team championship, helping Scotland to a bronze medal finish at Western Gailes, will also prove to be a worthy contender. With a Junior Tour win under his belt this season and a US golf scholarship beckoning at the end of this summer, the stroke play title would provide a treasured leaving present for one of Scotland’s hottest prospects.
Boasting a number of recent champions, the line up includes Scottish boys' match-play champion Paul Ferrier who raced to victory at Dunbar earlier this year.
Ian Redford, fresh from his win last week at the Scottish Under-16 championship, will be keen to demonstrate his prowess again over a parkland course. Redford will rub shoulders with his King James VI clubmate and former Under-16 champion Sam McLaren, also not to be discounted.
Other names to watch include, boys finalist William Bremner and semi-finalist Jeff O’Malley, who after coming so close to taking their first national title, their keen appetite for a victory will make them likely rivals to the throne.
Action commences at 7am on Tuesday and only the top 40 players plus ties will survive the cut on Wednesday night, to progress to the final 36 holes on Thursday.