SGU MATCH IN SPAIN ROBS CRAIGMILLAR

PARK OPEN OF EIGHT SCOTS STARS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

The field for this weekend's Craigmillar Park Open, one of the leading events on the Scottish 72-hole men's amateur circuit, does not contain as many of the domestic stars as usual.

For that, blame the Scottish Golf Union who arranged a friendly eight-a-side match between Scotland and Spain for this weekend at Escorpion Golf Club, Valencia.

Craigmillar Park Golf Club officials are understandably disappointed that their prestigious tournament, won in the past by such players as Ronnie Shade, Charlie Green and Nick Faldo, and more recently by Marc Warren and Steven O'Hara, was not taken into consideration by the SGU officials when they discussed possible dates for the match with the Royal Spanish Federation.

"You would have thought that the prestige of the Craigmillar Park Open, would have meant something to the SGU officials and that they would not have wanted the top Scottish players to miss out on the chance to boost their R&A World Amateur Rankings," said a club member who did not want to be named.

Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan), last year's SGU Order of Merit winner, and Wallace Booth (Comrie), who have both been selected to represent Europe against Asia-Pacific in the forthcoming Michael Bonallack Trophy match, are among the eight Scots on duty in Spain this weekend.

There will be no shortage of players who will want to seize this opportunity to win the Craigmillar Park Open. None more so than Hayston's Paul Betty who was declared the winner of last week's Scottish champion of champions event at Leven after the final two rounds on the Sunday were washed out.

Betty had shot 68 and 70 for 138 to lead after 36 holes by one shot from Gavin Dear (Murrayshall).

Both men are in the Edinburgh field alongwith former Scottish match-play champion Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), one-time British amateur champion Stuart Wilson (Forfar), Scottish youths title-holder Scott Borrowman (Dollar), Scottish youths cap Philip McLean (Peterhead), Paul O'Hara (Colville Park), Bryan Fotheringham (Forres), Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) and Zack Saltman (Craigelaw) whose brother Lloyd won the Craigmillar Park Open last year.