BROWN BLOWS IT - LORNE KELLY

FINISHES TOP SCOT AT BOVEY CASTLE

Montrose man Graeme Brown, playing out of Dalmahoy, plummeted from a challenging position he had held over the first two days to finish a distant joint 25th on six-over-par 216 in the Bovey Castle championship, this week's PGA Europro Tour event, at Dartmoor.

Brown had rounds of 68, 70 and 78 over the par-70 course. His final outward half of five-over-par 40 included a double bogey 6 at the first and shots shed at the fourth, fifth and 16th. He had a solitary birdie at the 11th and further bogeys at the 10th, 12th, 15th and 17th.

Instead of picking up a three or four-figure cheque, rown received £321.

Former Walker Cup player Lorne Kelly (Pro Dream USA) from Cowal finished the top Scot in joint fourth place on level par 210 with scores of 69, 73 and 68 to earn £1,550.

Kelly had birdies at the third, seventh, 10th and 18th. Double bogeys in the first and second round cost him second place behind the ultimate £10,000 winner, Ulsterman Simon Thornton (Royal County Down).

Thornton stepped in to win with 70, 68 and 66 for six-under-par 204 after tournament leader Gregory Bowden, who had gone out in 32, had water trouble in a big way at the par-5 12th and ran up an 10 on his way to a 72. He finished joint fourth alongside Kelly.

Callum Nicoll (Prestwick) finished joint 20th with a 72 for 215 to earn £380.. Andrew Oldcorn (75), Paul Doherty (76) and Graeme Brown (78) all shared 25th place on 216 and received £321..

Jack Doherty had a 74 for 40th place on 219 and a pay-out of £243 while former Scottish amateur champion Graham Gordon signed off with a 78 for a share of 50th place on 222 and £198.

LEADING TOTALS

Par 210 (3 x 70)

204 S Thornton (NIr) 70 68 66 (£10,000).

208 N Fox (Ire) 70 71 67, M Le Mesurier (Eng) 69 71 68 (£3,750 each).

210 L Kelly (Sco) 69 73 68, G Bowden (Ire) 67 71 72 (£1,550 each).

Other scores:

215 C Nicoll (Sco) 68 75 72 (jt 20th) (£380).

216 A Oldcorn (Sco) 71 70 75, P Doherty (Sco) 70 70 76, G Brown (Sco) 68 70 68 (jt 25th) (£321 each).

219 J Doherty (Sco) 74 71 74 (40th) (£243).

222 G Gordon (Sco) 71 73 78 (jt 50th) (£198).