And the winner is ... Remo Fueg from Switzerland (image by Andy Forman)

Swiss Star Fueg is Scottish Under-16s Open champion

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Switzerland’s Remo Fueg is the new Scottish Boys Under 16s Open Stroke Play Champion after clinching a narrow one-shot victory over Scotland’s Bradley Neil in an exciting final day at Auchterarder.
The 16-year-old from Zurich, who currently resides on the Australian Gold Coast, fired a final round 71 to finish with a one-over par aggregate of 208, one clear of Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil who just missed out on a famous double having collected the national under 14s title twelve months ago. Redbourn’s Nick Ward, joint overnight leader with Fueg, slipped back to third spot on three-over par, while Peebles youngster Craig Howie tied fourth with South African Haydn Porteous.
Breezy conditions coupled with lightening quick greens made for a testing final day on the Perthshire course, although that didn’t hinder first round leader Porteous, who stormed back into contention with a superb final round 65 to seize the early clubhouse lead. However it was Fueg and Ward who were locked in a tense battle in the final game, with Neil always a threat in the game ahead.
The young Swiss star parred the opening four holes but spilled two shots at the 5th before birdying the ninth to regain the lead at level par. He bogeyed the 11th but a two at the short 14th followed by a birdie at the 15th put him back to one-under par. A further bogey followed at the 17th and a loose tee-shot on the par three final hole added to the tension, but he played an exquisite chip to ten feet and two putted for the bogey he needed to win. Ward had an outside chance to force extra holes, but three-putted from just off the green to finish two adrift.
Neil, who defends his U14s title on the same course tomorrow, was one-under par for his last four holes and just missed his birdie at the last which would have taken him into a play-off while his Scotland U16s team-mate Craig Howie also had a final round 70 to round off a good week in a tie for fourth.
A delighted Fueg, one of six young Swiss golfers to play in the championship, said:
“I hadn’t been playing too well at the start of the year but I managed to find something in my game recently which gave me confidence coming into this week. Auchterarder was a great test of golf and although it’s relatively short, the strong wind and fast greens made it a real test of golf.”
“You need a good short game to score round here and fortunately mine was good all week. It’s great to win an event of this stature and I’d like to thank the Swiss Golf Federation for supporting me and my team-mates on our trip to Scotland.” added the Year 11 student, who is a member of both Bubikon in Switzerland and The Colonial in Australia.
Neil, who continued his excellent form this week, commented:
“I’m really pleased with how I played this week and I hit the ball well today without holing too many putts. Wining the double was at the back of mind but I stayed focused and hung in there to give myself a chance. Hopefully I can play well again tomorrow in the Under 14s although the course will be playing tough with the wind getting up.”
FINAL TOTALS
Par 207 (3x69). CSS 69 70 69
208 FÜEG, Remo (Switzerland) 70 67 71.
209 NEIL, Bradley (Blairgowrie) 65 74 70.
210 WARD, Nick (Redbourn) 69 68 73.
211 PORTEOUS, Haydn (South Africa) 65 81 65, HOWIE, Craig (Peebles) 73 68 70.
213 KELLY, Patrick (Boston West) 69 70 74.
215 ALLAN, Lawrence (Alva) 71 72 72, GAULD, Robert (Cruden Bay) 71 70 74.
216 BLANEY, Anthony (Liberton) 69 74 73, SCOTT, Ewan (St Andrews) 67 73 76.
217 HOLT, James (Wilpshire) 73 76 68, FARRELL, Cameron (Cardross) 74 72 71, HENDRY, Daniel (United Arab Emirates) 72 73 72.
218 NILSSON, Anton (Sweden) 74 74 70, STEWART, Greig (Crieff) 70 76 72, McDOUGALL, Alasdair (Elderslie) 68 77 73.
219 BEMBERG, Louis (Switzerland) 70 76 73, CHALMERS, Craig (Lenzie) 72 72 75.
220 BROWN, Daniel (Bedale) 75 73 72, MacINTYRE, Robert (Glencruitten) 75 72 73, SCOTT, Jake (Strathlene) 76 70 74, WILSON, David (Troon Welbeck) 73 72 75.
221 CHANT, Connor (Betchworth Park) 69 78 74, FLANNERY, Daniel (Peebles) 73 73 75, ALDRED, William (Mid Herts) 72 73 76.
222 CARRELL, Andrew (Peterculter) 74 76 72, CARRICK, Angus (Douglas Park) 78 70 74,  MARCHBANK, Greig Dumfries and Galloway) 70 77 75, WALKER, Euan (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 71 75, IFF, Mike (Switzerland) 73 73 76, BRYDON, Ross (Merchants of Edinburgh) 71 73 78, BOWDEN, Euan (Glen) 72 72 78.
223 JOHNSTON, Fraser (Longniddry) 74 76 73, KINSLEY, Benjamin (St Andrews) 75 73 75, SINGH BRAR, Jack (Bramshaw) 72 75 76, HILL, Calum Muckhart 69 77 77.
224 STEVEN, James (Kirkhill) 73 77 74, ANDERSON, Craig (Sandyhills) 76 74 74 +17
225 WHANNEL, Scott (Newton Stewart) 72 78 75.
226 PARMAR, Jevann (Leicestershire) 71 75 80.
227 STOKOE, Ben (Betchworth Park) 73 77 77, BLAIR, Stuart (Royal Musselburgh) 77 72 78.
228 BURNS, George (Williamwood) 73 75 80.
229 CARNEGIE, Blair (Dunblane New)73 77 79, LAMB, Christopher (Newmachar) 73 75 81, GEORGE, Lewis (Delamere Forest) 71 77 81.
232 FERNANDEZCANO, Miguel (Mexico) 72 78 82.