Lothians' Champion of Champions' Final

Steven Armstrong is feeling just

Champion after beating Stephen

FROM THE SCOTSMAN SPORTS WEBSITE
By NICK RODGER
Steven Armstrong was today savouring that winning feeling after claiming a dramatic victory in the Lothians Champion of Champions at Bruntsfield Links.
The Turnhouse ace emerged from a titanic tussle with former Scotland cap Stephen Easingwood last night to claim victory on the 20th hole and secure the prestigious title for the second time in three years.Armstrong, 36, has just about done it all on the regional scene over the years since first making his mark by winning the Lothians Boys' championship back in 1991 but the former pro admitted he'll never tire of the sense of satisfaction that comes with picking up golfing silverware.
"I've won a number of events over the seasons but there's still nothing to beat that feeling of winning tournaments," said a jubilant Armstrong. "It was an interesting game with a few twists and turns.
"This was a really tough match and Stephen showed the class that has made him such a good player down the years. He's still a very good player and I'm just delighted to have got through in the end."In a nip-and-tuck encounter, it was Armstrong, the champion of 2007, who struck the first blow with a birdie at the second to go one up but Easingwood, runner-up in the Champion of Champions a decade ago, showed his battling qualities on the outward half as he scrambled well to keep his rival within touching distance.Those attributes were illustrated on the fourth when the Dunbar man found himself in the trees from the tee but wedged over the branches onto the fairway and then managed to salvage a par to halve the hole. Armstrong moved up through the gears around the turn and reeled off birdies at the tenth and the 12th to forge a commanding three-hole advantage.But a crippling run of bogeys at 13, 14 and 15 allowed former Scottish strokeplay champ Easingwood to restore parity and the seasoned-campaigner edged in front for the first time in the match when he knocked his approach at 16 to three-feet and rolled in the birdie putt to win his fourth hole in a row.His lead was fleeting, however, and when he three-putted from the front of the 17th green, Armstrong found himself back on level terms.
All-square playing the last, Armstrong looked like he would claim a last-gasp victory when his opponent found the bunker with his second shot but, having splashed out of the sand, Easingwood bravely holed a testing 20-footer to halve the hole and force the sudden-death shoot-out.
After halving the opening hole of the play-off, the destination of the title was finally decided on the par-three seventh
Easingwood, whose tee-shot came to rest along the slope of the green, saw his first putt swing some eight-feet past to the left and having eventually three stabs, Armstrong claimed the honours as he two-putted down the slope for a match-winning par.
In the handicap championship which was also contested last night, Bass Rock's John Gladwin made up for his defeat in the same event some 15 years ago with a 4 and 2 victory over Graham Jamieson of Port Seton.
The 43-year-old took charge of the match on the front nine and, having moved into a three-hole at the turn, the Edinburgh physio finally snuffed out Jamieson's spirited challenge with a solid par on the 16th.
"I lost on the 18th green in this final many years ago and I was determined to make sure that didn't happen this time," said Gladwin. "I got my nose in front early on and that was the key. He came back at me coming in but I managed to hold on."