Bathgate win Lothians team title

20 years after last victory

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Exactly 20 years after last winning the event, Bathgate have claimed the Lothians team tournament title, thanks to a polished all-round performance from their four players at Turnhouse and Murrayfield.
Represented by Stuart Crookston, Ged O'Hara, Peter McClory and Stuart Mungall, the West Lothian club posted a team total of 280 to win by four shots from Silverknowes, with Greenburn and Pumpherston a futher two strokes adrift in joint-third.
Crookston, a re-instated amateur who reached the last eight in the Lothians Championship at Craigielaw earlier in the year, led the way for the winners at Turnhouse with a one-over 70, closely followed by O'Hara on 71.
Over at Murrayfield, McClory shot a fine 68, two-under, with Mungall doing his bit there, too, with a 71.
Crookston opened with two birdies at Turnhouse and McClory did likewise at Murrayfield, following a 20-footer at the first by chipping in at the next.
Graham Robertson shot a 67 for Silverknowes at Turnhouse, with Tom Caldwell leading the way for them with a 68 at Murrayfield.
The best individual effort of the day came from Carrickvale's Craig Elliot, who finished 2-4 for a five-under-par 64 at Turnhouse.
Elliot teamed up with the other members of Carrickvale's Dispatch Trophy-winning team – David Ewen, Allyn Dick and Darren Coyle – to finish joint-11th on 294.
The prize for the leading non course-owning club went to George Heriot's FP after they pipped old rivals Watsonians by a single shot.
Represented by Ron Bradly, Stewart Heggie, Dougie Livingstone and John Liddel, Heriot's finished on 296, one fewer than Watsonians after Richard Johnston lost a ball down the last at Turnhouse.