David Law wins Scottish boys' title after 36-hole thriller

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DAVID LAW, left, from the Aberdeen club Hazlehead, who will have his 18th birthday on May 4, and Paul Shields from the Cambuslang club Kirkhill, who was 18 on January 16.

The 36-hole final at Royal Aberdeen went all the way and was, according to those who have seen most of them, arguably the best there has ever been in the series which began at North Berwick in 1935.

Law, the top seed and beaten in the semi-finals last year, won the title by one hole - on the 36th green - after taking up a four-hole lead over the first 18 holes.

Shields, who lost in last year's final at Southerness, gave a never-say-die performance that saw him rally on the outward half of the second round, cutting his opponents' lead to two holes.

There were more ups and downs to come before Shields squared the final at the 33rd, only to fall one down again at the 34th.

But the Kirkhill man won the short 35th when Law made a mess of it.

And so it was level pegging on the 36th tee. Law was first to play his approach shot and his ball ran slightly through the green to the back right fringe. Shields hit the green but could have done with a club more into the wind.

Shields putted up to about four or five feet, and Law, using his putter from the short grass, putted about six feet past. Law, wasting no time, charged his putt in for a par-saving 4 ... Shields' putt to take the final down the 37th lipped out.

Law is the new Scottish boys' champion by one hole after a match-play tie that will not be bettered, even when the Walker Cup match comes to Balgownie in 2011.

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HOW THEY GOT TO THE FINAL THIS WEEK

DAVID LAW

Bt Stuart Houston (Kirkhill) 5 and 3.

Bt Graeme Reid (Newbattle) 8 and 6.

Bt Ryan Campbell (Grangemouth) 4 and 3.

Bt Calum McLean (Cowglen) 1 hole.

Bt Simon Taylor (Germany) at 19th.

Bt Danny Edwards (Elgin) 3 and 1 (Q/F).

Bt Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) at 19th (S/F)

PAUL SHIELDS

Bt Graeme Ritchie (Troon Welbeck) 4 and 3.

Bt Jamie Auchinvole (Glenbervie) 5 and 4.

Bt Thomas White (Milnathort) 5 and 4.

Bt Alexander Ferguson (Paisley) 2 and 1.

Bt Chris Low (Tantallon) 1 hole.

Bt Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 3 (Q/F).

Bt Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 2 and 1 (S/F)

THE FINAL: HOLE-by-HOLE FIGURES

Figures supplied by courtesy of the Scottish Golf Union website (http://www.scottishgolf.org/)

1st hole. Par 4. Law 5, Shields 4. Shields wins hole. Shields 1 up.

2nd hole. Par 5. Law 6, Shields 5. Shields wins hole. Shields 2 up.

3rd hole. Par 3. Law 3, Shields 4. Law wins hole. Shields 1 up.

4th hole. Par 4. Law 5, Shields 5. Hole halved.

5th hole. Par 4. Law 3, Shields 4. Law wins hole. Match all square.

6th hole. Par 5. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 1 up.

7th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

8th hole. Par 3. Law 3, Shields 3. Hole halved.

9th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 2 up.

Par out: 36. Law out in 37. Shields out in 39.

10th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

11th hole. Par 3. Law 3, Shields 3. Hole halved.

12th hole. Par 5. Law 5, Shields 5. Hole halved.

13th hole. Par 4. Law - , Shields -. Law conceded. Shields wins hole. Law 1 up.

14th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 2 up.

15th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

16th hole. Par 4. Law 3, Shields 4. Law wins hole. Law 3 up.

17th hole. Par 3. Law 3, Shields 4. Law wins hole. Law 4 up.

18th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

Par in: 35. Total 71. Law 4 up after the first round.

19th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

20th hole. Par 5. Law 5, Shields 4. Shields wins hole. Law 3 up.

21st hole. Par 3. Law 2, Shields 3. Law wins hole. Law 4 up.

22nd hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

23rd hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

24th hole. Par 5. Law 5, Shields 4. Shields wins hole. Law 3 up.

25th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 4 up.

26th hole. Par 3. Law 4, Shields 3. Shields wins hole. Law 3 up.

27th hole. Par 4. Law 5, Shields 4. Shields wins hole. Law 2 up.

28th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

29th hole. Par 3. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

30th hole. Par 5. Law 6, Shields 6. Hole halved.

31st hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 4. Hole halved.

32nd hole. Par 4. Law 5, Shields 4. Shields wins hole. Law 1 up.

33rd hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 3. Shields wins hole. Match all square.

34th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 1 up.

35th hole. Par 3. Law - , Shields -. Law conceded. Shields wins hole. Match all square.

36th hole. Par 4. Law 4, Shields 5. Law wins hole. Law 1 up.

Law wins match and the championship by one hole.