STILL A CLASSY TENNANT CUP FIELD


THIS WEEKEND WITHOUT BYRNE

Events have conspired to prevent Banchory’s James Byrne from attempting to repeat his impressive double victory on successive June weekends last year in two of the major 72-hole events on the Scottish men’s amateur golf calendar – the Tennant Cup and the East of Scotland Open.
The 21-year-old Arizona State University, who has a handicap of +5.4, will miss the Glasgow Golf Club’s four rounder, starting with 36 holes on Saturday at Gailes and finishing with two rounds at Killermont on Sunday. With all due respect to the Tennant Cup, which was first played in 1880, Byrne has bigger fish to fry – in the Amateur championship 36-hole final at Muirfield on Saturday.
And Byrne will be representing Europe against the United States in the Palmer Cup transatlantic students’ international match next weekend when the East of Scotland Open is being played at Lundin Golf Club, Fife.
Even in Byrne’s absence the Tennant Cup field has a classy look about it with every other Scotland team place contender entered. Philip McLean (Peterhead), winner of the Edward Trophy over the Glasgow Gailes course in April, looks the possible favourite ahead of Ross Kellett (Colville Park) who will be keen to get back on track after recent disappointing performances.
Scottish men’s and boys’ match-play champion last year, David Law (Hazlehead) will be looking to recapture his excellent form of 2009 and his North-east team colleague, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) looks sure to be in contention come Sunday evening.
Steven McEwan (Caprington) was runner-up to Byrne in last year's Tennant Cup, albeit seven shots adrift but he did have Walker Cup man and now rookie pro Gavin Dear (Murrayshall) behind him in third place.
That was just about McEwan's best performance of 2009. Perhaps the event will inspire him to rise to the occasion again.