Allied Surveyors Scottish men's amateur championship at Gullane

BYRNE AGAINST FINDLAY FOR PLACE IN FINAL

AND STEWART v NEILSON IN OTHER TIE

For the second year in a row, the North-east is guaranteed a player in Saturday’s 36-hole final of the Allied Surveyors Scottish men’s amateur golf championship over the Gullane No 1 course, East Lothian.
Following in the footsteps of Hazlehead’s David Law, who won the title at Royal Troon 12 months ago, will be either the No 1 seed James Byrne (Banchory) or Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh).
They met this afternoon in the semi-finals.
Byrne, reproducing the form that took him to the final of the British amateur championship less than a mile along the road at Muirfield and has earned him a world ranking of No 13, beat Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) by 3 and 2 in this morning’s first quarter-final.
The victory gave Byrne a degree of satisfaction for it was Smyth who knocked him out of this championship in the first round last year.
The 21-year-old Arizona State University student highlighted another polished performance with a hole in one at the 144yd par-3 fourth hole. He also had birdies at the second, fifth and 12th and steadily built up a three-hole lead with wins at the second, fourth and 10th.
He was four under par at the finish.
“I made my score on the way out with that hole in one certainly helping my figures,” said Byrne. “It was my fifth hole in one and I used an eight iron. I was second to play off the tee and Michael had hit a good tee shot to about 12ft so it was nice to see it go in.”
In the all-North-east second quarter-final, Findlay scored a 4 and 3 win over Aberdeen University student John Duff, a member of Newmachar Golf Club.
Findlay had birdies at the first, fourth and 12th and was four up after eight holes.The Fraserburgh was three under par for the holes played.
“I didn’t have a single bogey so I’m up for the semi-final against James Byrne. It should be good fun and the great thing, whether it’s me or James, is that the North-east will have a player in tomorrow’s final.
Former Scottish boys champion Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck), the only other seeded player to reach the quarter-finals apart from Byrne, cruised to a 4 and 3 win over US college circuit player, Jordan McColl (Scotscraig) in the third quarter-final.
Stewart made an poor start with three putts on the firest green to go one down right away but he soon found his game to win the second, fourth and eighth for a two-hole lead at the turn.
The 19-year-old Ayrshire player was two under par when he finished the contest with a birdie 4 at the long 15th.
In the last quarter-final to finish, Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) was one up on 17-year-old Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County) on the 15th tee and won the 16th with a par and the 17th with a birdie 3 for a 3 and 1 victory. Neilson was roughly level par at the finish
QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
*James Byrne (Banchory) beat Michael Smyth (Royal Troon) 3 and 2.
Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) bt John Duff (Newmachar) 4 and 3
*Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) bt Jordan McColl (Scotscraig) 4 and 3
Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) bt Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) by 3 and 1.

*denotes seeded player.