Irishman Paul Cutler pictured with the Lytham Trophy by photographer Tom Ward (who was a great help to Scottishgolfview.com with a Saturday scores service which highlighted the shortcomings of the Royal Lytham GC website!).

Kris Nicol runner-up

in Lytham Trophy

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Fraserburgh Golf Club greenkeeper Kris Nicol confirmed his emergence as one of the country's front-line amateur golfers by finishing a clear-runner-up to Irishman Paul Cutler in the prestigious Lytham Trophy over 72 holes at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Lancashire today.

Nicol, pictured right, had rounds of 72, 68, 73 and 74 for a total of seven-over-par 287 over the Open championship links which were made even tougher by a blustery wind for the last two rounds today.

Culter had scores of 74, 66, 73 and 71 for 284, his Sunday tally of 144 compared to the Buchan man's 147 being the difference between the two in the final analysis.

Nicol finished three shots clear of the pair who shared third place.

The next best Scot was Ross Kellett (Colville Park), the leading home-based Scottish player in the R&A WAGR. Ross finished joint 16th on 296, nine shots adrift of Nicol.

Peterhead's Philip McLean, winner of the Edward Trophy seven days earlier, was bang in contention after rounds of 73 and 70 but he slumped down to 25th place in the final standings with Sunday rounds of 79 and 77, although in fairness to Philip, it should be pointed out that he was only one of many who struggled in Sunday's conditions.

Same applies to Royal Aberdeen's Scott Larkin, who scored 146 for the first two rounds (73-73) and 159 for the last two rounds (79-80). The Banchory man, who has come home a much better golfer than he was before he went to the States to spend four years on the college golf circuit, finished joint 40th on 305.

North-east District officials have high hopes that with Nicol, McLean and Larkin in their line-up, the district will be contenders for the revamped Scottish men's area team championship at Kinross later this month.

Paul Cutler first Irish winner of Lytham Trophy since 1982

FROM THE IRISHTIMES WEBSITE

Irish international, Paul Cutler, from Portstewart, battled through the pain barrier to win the Lytham Trophy at Royal Lytham and St Annes over the weekend.
The East of Ireland champion was suffering from tendinitis in his left elbow but dug deep to close with a one-over-par 71 for a four-over-par total of 284 and a three-shot winning margin over Scotland’s Kris Nicol.
Cutler became the first Irish winner of the event since Martin Sludds from The Island won in 1982.
After opening rounds of 74 and an excellent four-under-par 66, Cutler carded a third round 73 to go into the final round tied for the lead on 213 with Germany’s Alexis Szappanos. Cutler played the front nine in one over par but birdies at the 10th, 11th and 14th saw him beat the conditions made even tougher by a blustery wind for the last two rounds.

FINAL TOTALS

Par 280 (4x70)
284 Paul Cutler (Ireland) 74 66 73 71.
287 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 72 68 73 74.
290 Matthew Nixon (England) 74 68 75 73, A Szappanos 67 76 70 77.
291 Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall) 66 74 75 76.
292 T Hatton (England) 73 73 73 73, C Lloyd (England) 72 70 76 74, A M Levy (France) 67 72 76 77.
293 M Kieffer (Germany) 69 74 78 72, A Hogan (Ireland) 70 74 76 73, M Lampert (France) 76 71 72 74.
294 K P Garwood (England) 73 74 76 71, H Dobson (England) 70 72 69 73, J Lopez azaro 70 75 74 75, E Bertheussen 74 71 76 74, J Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale (defending champion) 70 74 75 76.
296 (jt 17th) Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 72 71 79 74, J Shepherd (England) 72 74 75 75.
297 R Wattel (France) 71 75 77 74, J Senior (England) 75 67 77 78, J Hurst (England) 77 70 75 75.
298 M Young (England) 67 80 79 782, S Richardson (England) 74 73 77 74, R M Fricker 70 75 76 75, G W Samuels 70 75 79 75.
299 (25th) Philip McLean (Peterhead) 73 70 79 77.
300 C Paisley (England) 68 76 77 79.
301 T King (England) 73 73 79 76, D Wright (England) 72 72 76 81, M smith (England) 73 73 73 82.
302 O Farr (England) 73 71 81 77, A Kristiansen 75 72 77 78, N Grant 70 74 80 78, L Lennox 74 72 77 79, B Hemstock (England) 73 73 75 82.
303 B M Westgate (England) 71 76 78 78.
304 R Van West 72 74 79 7, C Hinton (England) 75 72 77 80, M J Bedford (England) 71 76 76 81.
305 (jt 40th) S Schwind 72 75 82 76, D Lernihan 74 71 81 79, P Dunne (Ireland) 74 72 79 80, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 73 73 79 80.