Kris Nicol survives disaster to win North
three-way play-off
three-way play-off
at Nairn
Fraserburgh greenkeeper Kris Nicol scored his biggest golfing victory todate when he landed the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship, sponsored by Allied Surveyors, for the David Blair Trophy over the Nairn links this evening.
In a tension-packed finish, Nicol beat teenager Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn), last year's British boys' beaten finalist, and Mark Lamb (Haddington), a former winner of the Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship, at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Nicol came from seven shots off the pace at the halfway stage with closing rounds of 71 and 70 for a level par total of 288.
Fotheringham, who had also been on three-over 147 at the start of the day, had third and fourth rounds of 72 and 69 for 288, a good effort by the 19-year-old local lad.
And the third man to hit the par total, Mark Lamb, had scores of 75 and 69 to get into the play-off.
The play-off was held over the first and 18th holes.
Fotheringham was eliminated first at the 18th after taking three from the edge of the green for a 6. Nicol and Lamb both got their pars. Then Nicol beat Lamb at the third extra hole, a 4 to a 5 at the first hole second time arround
And so Kris Nicol finished up smiling after a finish to the regulation 72 holes which would have made stronger men weep.
Coming up the par-5 72nd hole, Nicol was so far in front that a 5, 6 or 7 would win him the prestigious title. But he took a triple bogey 8 after being up against the face of a bunker guarding the last green and taking three shots to extricate himself from the sand.
At least the Buchan man, who has had a number of top-10 finishes in earlier Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit events this season, survived his potential disaster.
There was no second chance for Hayston's Paul Betty, beaten quarter-finalist in the Scottish amateur championship at Carnoustie earlier this month. Leading the field by one shot after the third round, he birdied the 14th in the final round and needed a birdie 4 at the 72nd hole to win the North title - and took a double bogey 7. He pulled his second shot into the out of bounds flower bed in front of the clubhouse and finished in fourth place two shots behind the three play-off participants with a 75 for 290.
Fraserburgh greenkeeper Kris Nicol scored his biggest golfing victory todate when he landed the North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship, sponsored by Allied Surveyors, for the David Blair Trophy over the Nairn links this evening.
In a tension-packed finish, Nicol beat teenager Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn), last year's British boys' beaten finalist, and Mark Lamb (Haddington), a former winner of the Scottish boys' open stroke-play championship, at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Nicol came from seven shots off the pace at the halfway stage with closing rounds of 71 and 70 for a level par total of 288.
Fotheringham, who had also been on three-over 147 at the start of the day, had third and fourth rounds of 72 and 69 for 288, a good effort by the 19-year-old local lad.
And the third man to hit the par total, Mark Lamb, had scores of 75 and 69 to get into the play-off.
The play-off was held over the first and 18th holes.
Fotheringham was eliminated first at the 18th after taking three from the edge of the green for a 6. Nicol and Lamb both got their pars. Then Nicol beat Lamb at the third extra hole, a 4 to a 5 at the first hole second time arround
And so Kris Nicol finished up smiling after a finish to the regulation 72 holes which would have made stronger men weep.
Coming up the par-5 72nd hole, Nicol was so far in front that a 5, 6 or 7 would win him the prestigious title. But he took a triple bogey 8 after being up against the face of a bunker guarding the last green and taking three shots to extricate himself from the sand.
At least the Buchan man, who has had a number of top-10 finishes in earlier Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit events this season, survived his potential disaster.
There was no second chance for Hayston's Paul Betty, beaten quarter-finalist in the Scottish amateur championship at Carnoustie earlier this month. Leading the field by one shot after the third round, he birdied the 14th in the final round and needed a birdie 4 at the 72nd hole to win the North title - and took a double bogey 7. He pulled his second shot into the out of bounds flower bed in front of the clubhouse and finished in fourth place two shots behind the three play-off participants with a 75 for 290.
+Image of Kris Nicol with the David Blair Trophy is by courtesy of Robin Wilson who supplied most, if not all the information for this report. Thanks also should go to the North District for supplying a service of scores to Scottishgolfview.com after each round.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). CSS 73 73 75 74
288 K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 73 74 71 70, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 72 75 72 69, M Lamb (Haddington) 71 73 75 69 (Nicol won sudden death play-off at third extra hole).
290 P Betty (Hayston) 67 74 74 75.
291 J Gallagher (Swanston New) 75 72 71 73.
293 S Borrowman (Dollar) 75 69 76 73.
294 M Hillson (Craigielaw) 76 75 71 72, B Fotheringham (Forres) 69 78 70 77.
295 G Robertson (Silverknowes) 73 71 75 76, G Yates (Hilton Park) 72 74 74 75.
296 J Ross (Royal Burgess) 75 72 77 72, L McGowan (St Andrews New) 72 68 77 79.
297 J Forbes (Inverness) 72 72 76 77, N D Hampton (Nairn) 73 69 75 80, L Miller (Cawder) 74 68 80 75.
298 G Tough (Letham Grange) 76 74 74 74, S Mann (Carnoustie) 72 77 75 74, R Bell (Downfield) 72 76 77 73, S McAllister (Craigielaw) 70 70 76 82.
299 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 72 77 76 74.
300 S Robertson (Sandyhills) 70 75 73 82, A Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 76 80 74, D Marshall (Dalmahoy) 74 71 77 78.
301 Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 78 77 73, J Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 73 75 76 77, N Robson (Meldrum House) 72 74 75 80, P McLean (Peterhead) 73 72 78 78, G Thomson (Moray) 73 72 79 77.
303 G Brass (Blairgowrie) 71 75 79 78, M Cunningham (Longniddry) 72 76 72 83.
304 S Hume (Murrayshall) 76 72 75 81, N Steven (St Andrews) 77 72 79 76.
306 I Angus (Duff House Royal) 81 70 78 77.
307 M McLeman (Moray) 74 76 78 79, R Forgan (Nairn) 70 79 79 79, A Campbell (Deeside) 73 78 77 79.
308 N Howitt (Nairn) 70 80 72 86.
309 A Cameron (Inverness) 72 76 85 76.
Retired: R McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 76 72 75 - .
No Returns: G Bell (Downfield (Downfield) 73 76 76 NR, D Gould (Ladybank) 74 76 NR, B Rushford (Grangemouth) 79 72 NR.
Withdrew: C Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 77 74 -.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). CSS 73 73 75 74
288 K Nicol (Fraserburgh) 73 74 71 70, F Fotheringham (Nairn) 72 75 72 69, M Lamb (Haddington) 71 73 75 69 (Nicol won sudden death play-off at third extra hole).
290 P Betty (Hayston) 67 74 74 75.
291 J Gallagher (Swanston New) 75 72 71 73.
293 S Borrowman (Dollar) 75 69 76 73.
294 M Hillson (Craigielaw) 76 75 71 72, B Fotheringham (Forres) 69 78 70 77.
295 G Robertson (Silverknowes) 73 71 75 76, G Yates (Hilton Park) 72 74 74 75.
296 J Ross (Royal Burgess) 75 72 77 72, L McGowan (St Andrews New) 72 68 77 79.
297 J Forbes (Inverness) 72 72 76 77, N D Hampton (Nairn) 73 69 75 80, L Miller (Cawder) 74 68 80 75.
298 G Tough (Letham Grange) 76 74 74 74, S Mann (Carnoustie) 72 77 75 74, R Bell (Downfield) 72 76 77 73, S McAllister (Craigielaw) 70 70 76 82.
299 M Buchan (Cruden Bay) 72 77 76 74.
300 S Robertson (Sandyhills) 70 75 73 82, A Culverwell (Dunbar) 70 76 80 74, D Marshall (Dalmahoy) 74 71 77 78.
301 Z Saltman (Craigielaw) 73 78 77 73, J Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 73 75 76 77, N Robson (Meldrum House) 72 74 75 80, P McLean (Peterhead) 73 72 78 78, G Thomson (Moray) 73 72 79 77.
303 G Brass (Blairgowrie) 71 75 79 78, M Cunningham (Longniddry) 72 76 72 83.
304 S Hume (Murrayshall) 76 72 75 81, N Steven (St Andrews) 77 72 79 76.
306 I Angus (Duff House Royal) 81 70 78 77.
307 M McLeman (Moray) 74 76 78 79, R Forgan (Nairn) 70 79 79 79, A Campbell (Deeside) 73 78 77 79.
308 N Howitt (Nairn) 70 80 72 86.
309 A Cameron (Inverness) 72 76 85 76.
Retired: R McKenzie (Easter Moffat) 76 72 75 - .
No Returns: G Bell (Downfield (Downfield) 73 76 76 NR, D Gould (Ladybank) 74 76 NR, B Rushford (Grangemouth) 79 72 NR.
Withdrew: C Harkins (Ayr Belleisle) 77 74 -.
Labels: Amateur Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, August 24, 2008
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home