Last-hole eagle wins Cameron

Corbett Vase for Allyn Dick

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Twice winner of the Scottish mid-amateur title (2005-2006), Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) added an SGU 72-hole Order of Merit tournament victory to his golfing CV when, on his first visit to Haggs Castle Golf Club, Glasgow, he came out on top after a last-hole drama decided the destination of the Cameron Corbett Vase.
Stirling University student James White (Lundin), the 2006 Scottish boys' match-play champion, had made most of the running up to the 72nd hole.
The 21-year-old White shared the lead on five-under-par 67 with four other players - Dick himself, Nick Barr (Craigie Hill), Gary Tough (Legham Grange) and Chris Conroy (Paisley) after the Saturday morning first round.
But by the end of the first 36 holes, young James had got his nose in front with a repeat 67 for 1o-under-par 134 at the halfway point. Gary Tough was his nearest challenger on 135 after a second-round 68.
Tough, a former Craigmillar Park Open winner who is the course manager at Letham Grange Hotel & Golf Courses, near Arbroath, blew up on Sunday morning with a third-round 80. Into second place moved Allyn Dick with a 68, the same third-round score as leader White but James was on 202 - four shots ahead of Dick with Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) and Michael Williams (St Michaels) a shot farther back on 207.
White, who tied with Paul O'Hara at the end of the weather-hit Edward Trophy at Glasgow Gailes in late April and then lost a play-off, could not maintain his sub-par pace of five-under, five-under and four-under but Dick could and gradually chipped away at the lead until they were on level pegging on the 72nd tee.
Here it all unravelled for professional's son White. In response to a magnificent last-hole eagle 3 by Dick, James took a bogey 6 which meant there was a three-shot swing in favour of Dick.
He finished with a 67 for 15-under-par 273. White signed off with a 74 for 276. Had the tournament been over 71 holes, there would have been a play-off. But that very last hole put a three-shot gap between the men at the top of the scoreboard.
St Michael's Golf Club, Leuchars is not renowned for producing third-placedfinishers in SGU Order of Merit events but member Michael Williams was always there or thereabouts in the leading half-dozen and he stayed the course splendidly with rounds of 70, 67, 70 and 70 for a creditable total of 277.
(Scottishgolfview.com would like to hear from Michael Williams, find out his golfing CV, etc. If he reads this, he can E-mail Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com)
Two Perthshire players, Nick Barr (Craigie Hill) and Kevin McAlp;ine (Alyth) tied for fourth place on 279. McAlpine's performance is particularly noteworthy in that last week, in the East of Scotland Open, he made his first tournament appearance since a cruciate knee ligament operation in February - and tired over Sunday's final two rounds at the Lundin venue after being well up in the mix.
Here, at Haggs Castle, McAlpine was obviously that little bit fitter and his rounds of 69, 69, 70 and 71 show that the former Scottish stroke-play and match-play champion is definitely on the way back to the forefront of the game.
Nick Barr scored 67, 71, 74 and 67 for 279.
Banchory's James Byrne, winner of back-to-back SGU Order of Merit events - the Tennant Cup and the East of Scotland Open - did not go for a three-timer. He is in the field for the Open Championship Local Final Qualifying over 36 holes on Monday and Tuesday and obviously decided to conserve his energies for that.
+Image of Allyn Dick with the Cameron Corbett Vase, by courtesy of Haggs Castle Golf Club.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
273 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 67 71 68 67.
276 James White (Lundin) 67 67 68 74.
277 Michael Williams (St Michaels) 70 67 70 70.
279 Nick Barr (Craigie Hill) 67 71 74 67, Kevin McAlpine (Alyth) 69 69 70 71.
280 Andrew Gunson (Shandy Canyon, US) 72 71 66 71.
281 Paul Ferrier (Baberton) 74 71 68 68, Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 69 69 69 74.
282 Bobby Rushford (Grangemouth) 70 75 68 69, Paul Betty (Hayston) 70 69 72 71.
283 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 71 69 74 69, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 71 74 69 70, Steven Robertson (Sandyhills) 69 71 71 72, Alex Main (Thornton) 70 68 71 74.
285 Paul Gault (Kirkhill) 73 73 71 68, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 71 73 70 71, Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 70 73 71 71, Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) 72 70 70 73.
286 Ian Redford (St Andrews New) 72 72 73 69, Stephen Machin (Cowglen) 74 72 68 72, Chris Harkins (Belleisle) 71 71 70 74.
287 Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 74 66 78 69.
288 Michael Main (Thornton) 70 76 72 70, Keith Hamilton (Belleisle) 73 65 79 71, Tom Blennerhassett (Dalmahoy) 76 70 70 72.
289 Ross Crowe (Westerhope) 73 70 71 75.
290 Richard Graham (Hayston) 69 73 78 70, Steven McEwan (Caprington) 70 75 71 74, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 70 69 73 78.
291 Liam McGowan (St Andrews) 72 73 74 72, Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) 72 74 72 73, Gary Tough (Letham Grange) 67 68 80 76, Chris Conroy (Paisley) 67 78 68 78.
292 David Addison (Barassie) 74 71 74 73, John Mathers (Haggs Castle) 71 74 72 75.
293 Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) 68 72 82 71.
295 Colin Thomson (East Renfrewshire) 70 75 75 75.
296 Mathew Clark (Kilmacolm) 72 74 77 73.
298 James Morrison (Stellenbosh) 71 73 76 78.
300 Steven Maxwell (Windyhill) 73 72 73 82.