Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County News

Tennant Cup winner Callum Macaulay with Glasgow Golf Club captain Robin Crawford and his wife Liz (pictured by Hugh Hunter).

ROLLER COASTER WEEK FOR CALLUM

ENDS WITH TENNANT CUP VICTORY

It was an up and down week for Tulliallan golfer and Scottish No 1 Callum Macaulay. The week started on a high note with an opening round of 68 and leading the British Amateur Championship at Turnberry. Horrendous weather on the following day saw a second round of 76, but well inside the qualifying cut for the 64 places in the match-play section.

It was notable that of the 40 Scottish entries, only six qualified for the match play, and Callum was drawn against one of them in the first round---Neil Henderson from North Berwick.

After exchanging holes over the first three it was all-Callum, and he forged ahead with 300yd plus drives to be four up at the turn. Although losing the 13th where he was bunkered, the match finished a couple of holes later in Callum’s favour.

His second round tie against John Carroll also looked to be going his way, but John fought back from a two-hole deficit to square the match at the 17th, and a half at the 18th, thanks to a 10ft putt, took the match to extra holes.

A putting lapse by Callum at the 21st sent John into the third round, leaving the Tulliallan player bitterly disappointed. Only one Scot survived the second round, but he was gone in his afternoon match.

Scott Borrowman the other Clackmannanshire hopeful did not beat the cut figure of 149
Tackling the Tennant Cup, a 72-hole Scottish Order of Merit event a couple of days later, Callum showed great strength of character, putting the Turnberry disappointment behind him and establishing himself among the tournament leaders in the first two rounds.

Over the Killermont course of Glasgow Golf Club, he was nine under par for the final 36 holes, with the best scoring in the final round. Four under par after 12 holes, Callum continued with birdies at 14 and 15 to give himself a comfortable lead.

Even taking three from the edge of the par 4 17th after almost driving it, plus a cast iron par 4 at the last hole still gave him a four-shot margin of victory, and another win to add to his substantial collection.
This win will give Calum much needed points in the Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit towards the defence of his title. In the Scottish Golfer of the Year, Callum retains his No 1 spot in Scotland, 10th in the European Order of Merit and unchanged at 32 in the World Amateur Rankings( 24 places ahead of his nearest rival Wallace Booth).
Callum has also been named in the six man Scottish Team for the European Team Championships to be held in Italy at the beginning of July.

2008 PAUL LAWRIE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Clackmannanshire trio of Roddy Forgie, Angus Tester and Lawrence Allan finished the best of the Central Scotland schools in the 36 hole event at Inchmarlo last week. In the individual event Angus Tester (Dollar Academy) scored 69 and 72 to finish fourth and guarantee a place in the Scottish Schools Golf team to play England at Royal Lytham St Annes in September.

Thirteen year old Lawrence Allan (Alva Academy) improved by 11 shots in his second round with a 73 which included a 6 at the last hole.

Clackmannanshire Schools finished in a highly commendable eighth position out of the 20 teams that competed. The individual winner was Chris Robb (Banchory) (137) and the team event went to Dumfries and Galloway (436)

CLACKMANNANSHIRE SCORES
1. Roddy Forgie 158 (80 78 ), 2 Angus Tester 141 (69 72), 3 Lawrence Allan 157 (84 73).
TEAM TOTAL 456 (all scores counting)

PALMER CUP
The annual match between European Students and American Students for the Palmer Cup takes place on Thursday and Friday this week over the 6,903yd, par-71 Glasgow Gailes golf course. The eight-a-side match is a Ryder Cup format, and local golfer Scott Borrowman will be representing Stirling University, and is the only team member to be enrolled at a European college.

The other seven members in the European team are all enrolled at American Colleges. It all seems a bit strange.

BELHAVEN CAPTAINS AND SECRETARIES CHAMPIONSHIP.
The local qualifying event for the National Final takes place at Stirling on Thursday. Three Clackmannanshire clubs are in the field of 40 teams of two, and will be trying to win one of the eight places for the grand final to be held in September.
The County entries are S Morrison & J Cant (Dollar), S Williams & M Gilmour (Braehead), H Hunter & M Smith (Alloa).

COUNTY BOYS' LEAGUE
Matches due to be played last weekend were cancelled due to course flooding and will be replayed at a later date.