Golf Data Lab Scottish youths championship starts Friday

IAN REDFORD AIMS TO GO ONE
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BETTER AT MONIFIETH
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NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ROSS DUNCAN OF THE SGU
Scottish boys championship runner-up Ian Redford will be aiming to put the disappointment of his West Kilbride final defeat behind him when he tees off in the Golf Data Lab Scottish youths championship at Monifieth, which gets underway on Friday (May 7 to 9).
The 17-year-old, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, from the New Club St Andrews lost out to Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest last month on the Ayrshire coast but will be hoping to bounce back with a victory on the Angus links and add his name to an impressive list of champions which includes US PGA Tour star Martin Laird, European Tour players Stephen Gallagher and Gregory Bourdy and former Italian Open champion Dean Robertson.
Redford will be joined in a strong field, which was balloted out at 1.7, by the two beaten semi-finalists from West Kilbride in Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) and Jamie Lynch (Falkirk Tryst).
Reigning Scottish boys' stroke-play champion McDonald goes into the event with high hopes, following his excellent joint runners-up finish at last week’s Fairhaven Trophy in Lancashire.
Carnoustie’s Angus Cappi will defend the title he won at Renfrew last year, while Edzell’s William Bremner – third in 2009 – will be another Angus player likely to mount a strong challenge on the familiar turf of the Monifieth Medal course.
The host club’s Grant Bowman will fancy his chances on his home patch, fresh from leading his Monifieth side to victory in last week’s Angus boys' county team championship at Letham Grange.
Scottish junior champion of champions winner Simon Fairbairn (Torwoodlee) is another man on form, having also won the first 72-hole SGU Junior Tour event last month at Newmachar with Scotland boys international Scott Gibson (Southerness) also having some impressive finishes in big events this season and will be one to watch.
There is a strong international presence in the field too with players from Germany, Spain, Belgium and Finland all taking part.
Graeme Leslie, Managing Director of sponsors Golf Data Lab whose player analysis programme also supports the Scotland Elite Men’s and Ladies Squads, is looking forward to the Championship:
“Golf Data Lab is delighted to sponsor the Scottish Youths Championship for the second successive year. The strength of the field underlines the quality of young golfers we have coming through in Scotland, with some exciting young players also competing from overseas.”
“We work closely with the Scotland squads at amateur level as well as some of our country’s top professionals so it’s nice to put something back into the game to help develop the next generation of players coming through the ranks. This Championship has a rich pedigree with some great former champions and hopefully this year’s winner can also go onto to make a name for himself.”
The Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths Championship will be played over 72-holes from Friday to Sunday, with the leading 40 players and ties after the second round qualifying for the final two rounds.
Scoring and updates will be available at http://www.scottishgolf.org/.
For more information on Golf Data Lab, log onto http://www.golfdatalab.com/.