Paul Betty wins weather-hit

Scottish champions' event

By NICK RODGER

Paul Betty, pictured above, captured his first major title on the domestic circuit today after the Scottish Champion of Champions at Leven was abandoned due to snow.

The 23-year-old from Hayston, Glasgow had surged to the head of the field with a four-under tally of 138 after Saturday rounds of 68 and 70.

Betty, the No.1 qualifier in last month's Spanish championship, was leading by a stroke from Scotland cap Gavin Dear from Murrayshall, Perth with a scheduled 36 holes to play on Sunday but the hopes of an exciting conclusion to the amateur season's curtain-raiser being played out were dashed by the weather.

As the players began taking their place on the tee-box for the start of the third round, the snow began to fall and by 9.30 am today the conditions had refused to relent.

With the Leven links covered in snow, the Leven Golfing Society organisers were forced to cancel the closing 36 holes and declare a result on the first two rounds.

"It's a shame it turned out like this but I'm still delighted to have won my first major event," said Betty, the Dunbartonshire county champion and a student at Stirling University.

"To get a title like this so early in the season is a real boost for the rest of the year. I've been working hard with my coach, Spencer Henderson, and this win is as much his doing as it is mine. "He's been a great help to my game and this is a reward for all the hard work we have done over the winter."

Gordon Yates of Hilton Park and Alyth's Scottish open amateur stroke-play champion, Kevin McAlpine, shared third place on 142 while Scott Borrowman, the national youths' champion from Dollar, figured in a three-way tie for fifth place on 143.

Scottish amateur match-play champion John Gallagher (Swanston New), pipped to the Champion of Champions title in a play-off by Lloyd Saltman last year, finished on 146.

The Scottish men's 72-hole circuit continues -weather permitting - this coming weekend with the Craigmillar Park Open at the Edinburgh venue.

FINAL TOTALS FROM LEVEN

Par 142 (2 x 71)

138 P Betty (Hayston) 68 70.

139 G Dear (Murrayshall) 74 65.

142 G Yates (Hilton Park) 74 68, K McAlpine (Alyth) 72 70.

143 S Borrowman (Dollar) 76 67, P McLean (Peterhead) 72 71, P O'Hara (Colville Park) 71 72.

144 R Kellett (Colville Park) 74 70, M Hillson (Craigielaw) 73 71, S McEwan (Caprington) 73 71, N Henderson (The Glen) 72 72, S Mann (Carnoustie) 71 73, G Campbell (Blairgowrie) 70 74.

145 S McAllister (Craigielaw) 75 70, G Paterson 771 74.

146 J Gallagher (Swanston New) 75 71.

147 P Ferrier (Baberton) 75 72.

148 R Carson 75 73, C Haddow 75 73. B Edmond (Bon Accord) 73 75, B Soutar 73 75.

150 J White (Lundin) 76 74, E Moir 76 74.

151 G Turner (West Linton) 77 74, M Clark 75 76.

152 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 80 72, D MacFarlane 77 75, C Heslip 77 75, M Kerr 75 77, P Stewart 73 79.

153 G Bell 78 75, G Bolton 77 76, K Anderson 76 77.

154 S Armstrong 81 73.

155 J Shanks 80 75. J Aitken 77 78, M Russo 74 82.

156 G Munro 76 80, M Carmichael 76 80.

157 Murray Stewart 78 79.

158 S Murray 78 80.

159 E Lindsay 78 81. C Watson (East Renfrewshire) 75 84.

160 P Johnson 80 80.

162 B Graham 80 82, F Drum 80 82

163 C Steffan 82 81.

No Return: J Lawrie 75 NR