LONG-TIME LEADER PATRICK IS PIPPED

Welshman Gareth is Wright on to win


Scottish Alliance championship

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
West Linton's Gareth Wright chalked up his second success in the space of five days – then thanked his stepdad for getting his game back in the groove.
The 27-year-old, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, carded a closing 65 over Gullane No.2 to win the Scottish Alliance Championship, pipping former Mortonhall man David Patrick by a shot with his total of 197, 13-under-par. It came hot on the heels of an equally-impressive victory by Wright, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who was born in Wales but has lived in the Edinburgh area for more than 15 years, in the Royal Dornoch Young Masters.
Three behind Patrick and East Renfrewshire's David Orr going into the final round at Gullane, Wright made his move by picking up three birdies on the front nine, just missing with an eagle putt at the ninth.
He moved to four-under for the round after hitting a 5-iron to eight feet for a 2 at the short 11th before getting up and down from 70 yards to save par at the 13th.
"That was the turning point as David took a bogey there after three-putting," said Wright afterwards. It was still all to play for when the new leader then dropped his first shot of the day after three-putting the 15th and Patrick holed a 15-footer there for a birdie.
That left Wright one in front with three to play and both players birdied their way in, Patrick, now attached to Elie, narrowly missing a 25-foot eagle attempt at the last to tie his playing partner.
Wright, who played for Wales in the Eisenhower Trophy in 2004, was based at Swanston New earlier in the year but is now back at West Linton, where stepdad Ian is the club professional.
That move has allowed Wright to work on his game more and he's enjoyed a strong finish to the season. He shot two 69s in a Callaway 36-hole event at Edzell and was then pipped in another Tartan Tour event at Dumfries & Galloway, where he shot 63 and 66.
Now Wright has pocketed just under £2,000 inside a week, earning £1,000 at Gullane to add to the £840 he earned up at Royal Dornoch."It's nice to have some confidence back and it's all down to Ian as he's helped me get my game back in the groove," said Wright.
"I was living in London for a spell last year and was working with Denis Pugh for a while. However, we didn't really click. I didn't feel comfortable with the changes he was making, even though he was doing what he felt was the right.
"London was great for my personal life but I realised just how much I rely on Ian as a golf coach. He's taught me since I was seven and my move back to Scotland and, in particular, West Linton has helped me get things back on track."
While Wright is doing his PGA training at the moment, he intends having another crack at beoming a Tour player once he has become qualified.
"Guys like Ian Poulter did what I'm doing and it's good to have something to fall back on, especially when I enjoy coaching," he added."I was out of £8,000 out of pocket after playing on the Challenge Tour last year, but I'll definitely be giving it another go once I finish my training."
Duddingston's Tom Buchanan was third in the Scottish Alliance championship behind Wright and Patrick with a 69 for 201 while Orr shared fourth place with Alan Lockhart (Ladybank).
Lothianburn's George Wither lifted the Margaret Caldwell Trophy for the best 36-hole scratch score by a senior (145), with John Fowler of Hayston claiming the Clydesdale Bank Quaich for the best 54-hole total by an amateur (level par 210).
With the best six scores counting – only three of them from pros – East lifted the Mountbatten Challenge Cup by 37 shots from Midlands.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 210 (2x71 Gullane No 2, 1x68 Gullane No 3)
Order of scores: Gullane No 2, No 3, No 2.
197 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 65 67 65.
198 David Patrick (Elie) 66 63 69.
201 Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 67 65 69.
202 David Orr (East Renfrewshire) 69 60 73, Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) 68 67 67
205 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants of Edinburgh) 68 66 71.
206 Alan Reid (West Lothian) 72 62 72.
207 Lee Vannet (Carnoustie) 68 68 71.
208 Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 72 66 70, Andrew Marshall (Houston GR) 71 64 73.
209 Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) 72 66 71.
210 Brian Mason (Callaway Golf) 70 68 71, John Fowler (Hayston) 68 70 72.
211 Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) 75 64 72, Calum Smith (Royal Musselburgh) 72 66 73, Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe) 73 64 74.
212 James Smallwood (Fereneze) 71 69 72.
214 Ian Graham (Crow Wood) 77 68 69, Stewart Savagte (Dalmuir) 74 67 73.
215 Craig Everett (Caldwell) 77 66 72, Peter Mitchell (Hermitage) 72 68 75.
216 Ross Harrower (Boat of Garten) 72 71 73, Stephen Harrod (Ballumbie Castle) 72 71 73.
217 Hugh Fraser (Niddry Castle) 73 71 73.
218 Norman Forsyth (Peebles) 72 74 72.
219 Ian Fyfe (Musselburgh) 74 71 74, Mike Robson (Harrison) 72 72 75.
220 George Wither (Lothianburn) 74 71 75, Andy Fullen (Largs) 76 68 76.
221 George Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) 72 75 74, Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) 74 70 77.
222 Richard Fyvie (Pumpherston) 79 68 75.
223 Robert Denholm (Duddingston) 79 79 74, Derek Fish (Glenbervie) 77 72 74, Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) 74 70 79.
224 Alan Mackay (Pumpherston) 73 75 76, Andrew Wight (Glencorse) 77 70 77, Steven Chalmers (Banchory) 72 72 80, John Nicolson (Auchmill) 71 72 81.
227 Wilson Morton (Dunbar) 80 72 75, Tommy Wilson (Glenbervie) 75 75 77, David Ferguson (Paisley) 79 71 77.
228 Paul Jamieson (Dunblane New) 79 74 75, Ian Rowlands (West Linton) 78 74 76, Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle) 76 75 77.
230 Kenny Bisset (Prestonfield) 79 70 81.
231 Graham Milne (Aberdour) 76 72 83.
233 David Graham (Lochend) 81 72 80, Fergus Bisset (Banchory) 78 73 82.
234 William Laing (Prestonfield) 85 72 77, Keith Salmoni (Muckhart) 79 76 79, Albert Smith (Turriff) 78 73 83.
235 Ian Fraser (Duddingston) 81 72 82, John Black (Scotscraig) 80 73 82, Ian Jeavons (Dunbar) 77 74 84.
236 Michael Louden (Glencorse) 80 78 78, Brian Byrne (Bonnyton) 81 74 81.
238 Justin White (Harrison) 80 78 80, James Mooney (Kingscliff Golf Solutions) 81 75 82..
239 James Ingram (Boat of Garten) 80 78 81, Alister Mason (Thornton) 81 74 84.
242 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) 77 79 86.
243 Graeme Johnston (Glenbervie) 80 788 85, David Mackay (Newmachar) 81 77 85.
245 Jimmy Rankeillor (Baberton) 83 75 87.
246 James Murray (Banchory) 82 76 88.
251 John Sullivan (Gleneagles) 79 77 95.
NR Colin Rae (Pumpherston) 82 76 NR