Lee Westwood wins $1m Memphis play-off

FROM THE PGA.COM WEBSITE

Worksop's Lee Westwood has played golf long enough to be philosophical despite all the times he's come up short when so very close to victory. The Englishman, who finished second at the Masters, lost a play-off in Dubai and finished tied for fourth at The Players Championship this year, today won the St. Jude Classic for his second career US PGA Tour victory and first since 1998, beating Swede Robert Karlsson on the fourth hole of a three-man sudden-death play-off at TPC Southwind, Memphis in Tennessee. 

"You try to do the right thing all the time," Westwood said. "It doesn't always work for you. I've been in contention a lot, especially this year, and I suppose I got a break today with other people's misfortune but made the most of it and took a chance."

He became the first European to win the tour's third-longest event only after Robert Garrigus blew a three-stroke lead on the final hole of regulation with a triple bogey. He bogeyed the first play-off hole.

Garrigus said he thought he had a two-stroke lead on the 72nd hole instead of three and called it just stupidity.

"It's little things to win. I've got to learn that, and next time I'm in that position I'm going to do it," Garrigus said.

Westwood and Karlsson went par-par-bogey until they returned to No. 18 once again. Westwood stuck his approach 6 feet from the pin on No. 18. Karlsson left his birdie putt from 43 feet away to extend the play-off about a foot short.

Then Westwood, who went 17 straight holes between birdies, rolled in the 6-footer for his first US PGA Tour win since New Orleans to go with 20 career European Tour victories. He dropped his putter and celebrated with a fist bump.

Westwood started the final round trailing by three strokes, birdied three straight holes to grab the lead. But he bogeyed No. 17 after flying an 8-iron over the green. He was preparing to head off the course when told to stick around behind the 18th green.

He wound up taking home the $1.008 million winner's cheque after the longest sudden-death playoff at Memphis with a 68-270 total.

"It's amazing how things pan out," Westwood said.

The Englishman also becomes the fourth to win in his first visit to Memphis and first since Dicky Pride in 1994. Westwood came in having played well, not missing a cut in his 10 starts on the US Tour this year with four top 10s. He had gone 122 starts on the US Tour since winning 1998 in New Orleans.

Karlsson, who won his ninth European Tour victory at Qatar earlier this year, still is looking for his first American Tour title. He shot a 69, and Garrigus finished with a 71. Karlsson had a chance to win on the third play-off hole with a par putt from 5 feet only to miss.

"I didn't hit a good putt. You can't take any chances with too many good players," Karlsson said.

Local man Shaun Micheel, winner of the 2003 US PGA Championship, shot a 67 and finished tied with Garrett Willis (67) for fourth at 271.

Golfers and fans alike faced another steamy day with the heat index reaching 110. Many golfers and caddies also had maroon ribbons pinned to their caps in a show of support on what could be the final round for an event that first started in 1958 -- unless organisers find a new sponsor by their own deadline of September 15.

Westwood had the lead or a piece of it most of the final round after starting his day with three straight birdies in the first four holes. But he parred out until he bogeyed No. 17 and finished with a 68. With Garrigus up by three, Westwood was ready to leave when told he should stick around the 18th hole.

He did and quickly found himself in a play-off that neither seemed ready to win until they got back to the 18th again.

Westwood hit a 303-yard drive and was 151 yards away from the pin when he hit his approach well inside Karlsson's. When the Swede's putt was short, Westwood ended the play-off and started his celebration.

He had practised his putting after the third round, work that paid off as Westwood birdied Nos. 2, 3 and 4 to take the lead back to himself at 11 under. He rolled in a 30-footer on No. 2, and then he holed out from nearly 34 feet on the par-5 third. He stuck a shot on the par-3 No. 4 from 185 yards within 19 feet and sunk that putt.

Westwood came here on a sponsor's exemption to tune up for the U.S. Open. He wound up getting in some overtime with the extra holes. Now he'll try to become just the eighth player to win a US PGA Tour event and then win the US Open in back-to-back outings.

"I like being competitive before a major championship, to be competitive with the tournament and boost my confidence," Westwood said.

Garrigus, the 32-year-old pro from Scottsdale, Arizona, came into this event 377th in the world rankings and had never led a Tour event on the final day. The inexperience showed on the 72nd hole.

He put his tee shot into the lake lining the 18th fairway, took his drop and yanked his next shot into the trees left of the lake before punching out over the lake. He two-putted for triple bogey to at least make the playoff. Playing that same hole again to start the play-off, Garrigus stayed away from the lake.

His 338-yard drive landed in the pine straw behind a tree, leaving him no choice but to shoot back into the fairway. With Westwood and Karlsson parring the fourth-toughest hole, Garrigus had to hole out a 13-footer for par. The putt went just along the right edge for bogey, knocking him out.

"I know I played better than they all did in the field. It's all right," Garrigus said. "I'm going to go on from this week, and we'll be good.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 280 (4x70)
270 Lee Westwood (Eng) 63 68 71 68 (won at 4th play-off hole), Robert Karlsson (Swe) 67 66 68 69, Robert Garrigus 67 66 66 71
271 Garrett Willis 66 65 73 67, Shaun Micheel 68 66 70 67
272 Heath Slocum 69 67 66 70
273 Billy Mayfair 69 70 68 66
274 Bob Estes 66 69 71 68, Jay Williamson 66 70 69 69, Camilo Villegas (Col) 71 67 69 67, D.J. Trahan 66 68 71 69
275 Ben Crane 67 72 69 67, Zach Johnson 67 69 71 68, Johnson Wagner 69 68 69 69
276 Retief Goosen (Rsa) 72 68 68 68, Jason Dufner 68 67 73 68, Brian Gay 73 67 65 71, Lee Janzen 68 66 70 72, Woody Austin 69 67 69 71, John Rollins 71 69 69 67, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 69 70 69 68, Tim Petrovic 66 68 70 72, Stephen Ames (Can) 70 71 67 68, Josh Teater 66 71 70 69
277 Charley Hoffman 67 65 73 72, Nathan Green (Aus) 73 68 65 71, Kirk Triplett 68 68 71 70, Cameron Percy (Aus) 70 68 67 72
278 Kent Jones 67 73 69 69, David Toms 71 70 72 65, Webb Simpson 70 69 70 69, Rory McIlroy (NIrl) 69 66 72 71, Dicky Pride 69 70 70 69, Ryuji Imada (Jpn) 67 68 71 72, Glen Day 68 69 71 70, Brandt Snedeker 70 70 67 71
279 D.A. Points 74 66 68 71, Spencer Levin 72 68 69 70, Mathew Goggin (Aus) 69 69 69 72, Vaughn Taylor 68 69 72 70, Dean Wilson 67 72 71 69, John Senden (Aus) 66 70 73 70, Gary Woodland 70 71 68 70
280 Charles Warren 72 69 69 70, Joe Durant 71 70 68 71, Mathias Gronberg (Swe) 69 72 68 71, Jonathan Byrd 69 69 72 70, Charles Howell III 67 72 71 70, Rich Barcelo 68 68 74 70
281 Omar Uresti 70 70 73 68, Brett Wetterich 72 67 69 73, Steve Elkington (Aus) 72 69 70 70
282 John Merrick 69 71 72 70, Jeff Quinney 68 71 71 72, Boo Weekley 69 66 73 74
283 Chris Riley 68 73 72 70, Michael Connell 66 75 70 72, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 65 74 71 73
284 Will MacKenzie 70 69 69 76, J.B. Holmes 72 68 73 71
285 Chris DiMarco 70 69 70 76, Michael Clark II 71 66 69 79, Nicholas Thompson 68 73 70 74
286 John Daly 71 70 72 73
287 Chris Rogers 69 70 73 75, Roger Tambellini 68 72 73 74
289 Jeff Maggert 68 71 69 81, Alex Cejka (Ger) 68 73 70 78
291 Justin Bolli 68 73 72 78
292 Casey Wittenberg 64 74 73 81
293 Chad Campbell 70 70 71 82

 

Flawless round of 66 at Kilmarnock Barassie spreadeagles opposition

Liam Johnston wins SGU Junior Tour event by EIGHT shots

Dumfries and County’s Liam Johnston followed up his runner-up performance in the Paul Lawrie Scottish schoolboys golf championship at the beginning of the week by notching an impressive, runaway victory in the fifth event of the SGU Junior Tour at Kilmarnock Barassie today (Sunday).
Johnston matched the testing par of 72 in the first round and then compiled a great score of six-under-par 66 for a total of six-under 138. He had a flawless second round, studded with birdies at the long first, the long eighth, the ninth, 13th, short 14th and 18th in halves of 33.
He won by eight shots from four players who finished on two-over-par 146 – Ewen Donaldson (Craigielaw) (72-74), Conor O’Neil (Pollok) (74-72), Scott Gibson (Southerness) (73-73) and Jamie Savage (Cawder) (71-75).
Scottish boys’ match-play champion Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) tied for 12th place on 150 with scores of 78 and 72.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72). CSS 73 73
138 Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 72 66.
146 Ewen Donaldson (Craigielaw) 72 74, Conor o’Neil (Pollok) 74 72, Scott Gibson (Southerness) 73 73, Jamie Savage (Cawder) 71 75.
147 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 76 71, Grant Bowman (Monifieth) 73 74.
148 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 78 70.
149 Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) 76 73, Ian Redford (St Andrews) 74 75, Fraser Thain (West Linton) 74 75.
150 Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 78 72, Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 77 73.
152 Calum Stewart (Brora) 80 72, Graeme Duncan (Kingsknowe) 77 75, Lawrence Allan (Alva) 75 72, Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 76 76, Greig Marchbank (Thornhill) 75 77.
153 Jamie Arthur (Milnathort) 75 78.
154 Jamie Lynch (Falkirk Tryst) 83 71, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 78 76, Ewan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 76 78, Ryan Campbell (Grangemouth) 74 80.
155 Jeff Wright (Forres) 79 76, Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee) 76 79.
156 Craig Howie (Peebles) 76 80.
157 Thomas White (Milnathort) 77 80, Paul McPhee (King James VI) 75 82, Daniel Flannery (Peebles) 76 81.
158 Marc Smith (Troon Welbeck) 81 77, Euan Bowden (Glen) 77 81.
159 Cameron Farrell (Cardross) 81 78.
160 Cameron West (Scotscraig) 78 82.
161 Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 85 76.
162 James Steven (Kirkhill) 79 83, Callum McNeill (Lauder) 77 85.
165 George Burns (Williamwood) 83 82.
166 Blair Carnegie (Dunblane New) 82 84.
Disqualified – Ross Proctor (Forres) 84 DQ.

HANDA IRISH SENIOR OPEN REPORT, SCORES

Farry's first and Drummond is runner-up for fourth time

FROM THE EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR WEBSITE

Marc Farry became the fifth first-time winner on the European Senior Tour in 2010 when he held off the spirited challenge of Ross Drummond to win the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland today.

The Frenchman fired a final round 69 to finish two strokes clear of the tall Scot, who had to settle for being runner up for the fourth time in four seasons on the Senior Tour.

Farry, who held a one shot overnight lead from Scottish pair Drummond and Sandy Lyle, settled any nerves immediately when he drained a 20ft birdie putt on the first hole after both Drummond and two-time Major Champion Lyle began with poor tee shots.

Drummond, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, hit back with consecutive birdies on the second and third holes for a brief share of the lead but Farry picked up shots on the fourth and eighth holes to move to ten under par, one stroke clear heading into the back nine after Drummond birdied the ninth hole.

Both players then bogeyed the tenth hole before play was suspended for an hour due to the threat of thunder and lightning and Drummond dropped another shot on the 12th hole immediately after the re-start .

The Scot applied some pressure with a birdie on the 15th and shaved the cup with another birdie putt on the 16th but Farry, who had posted steady run of six consecutive pars after his bogey, produced a vital birdie on the 17th to seal the victory.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72). Yardage 7,301
206 Marc Farry (France) 67 70 69.
208 Ross Drummond (Scotland) 71 67 70.
209 Angel Franco 71 71 67, Glenn Ralph (England) 68 71 70.
210 Bill Longmuir (Scotland) 70 70 70, Juan Quiros (Spain) 71 69 70, Nick Job (England) 70 69 71, Mike Harwood (Australia) 70 69 71.
211 John Harrison (England) 74 70 67, Andrew Murray (England) 69 71 71, Gordon Brand junior (Scotland) 71 69 71, Sandy Lyle (Scotland) 66 72 73.
212 Peter Mitchell (England) 72 68 72.
Selected Scottish scores:
215 Sam Torrance 74 72 69 (17th).
216 Andrew Oldcorn 72 70 74 (jt 18th).
218 Martin Gray 70 72 76 (jt 26th).
222 Fraser Mann 75 73 74, John Chillas 72 73 77 (jt 45th).
227 Mike Miller 77 75 75 (jt 66th).

Thomas Bjorn is a Great Dane again - winner by five in Portugal

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Thomas Björn returned to winning ways in fine style with a comprehensive five shot victory at the Estoril Open de Portugal over the Penha Longa course today.
The Dane saw off a fine challenge from Richard Green with a closing 68 for a 23 under par aggregate total of 265.
Australian left-hander Green had nibbled away at the two-time Ryder Cup winner's three shot overnight lead and got within one before a decisive swing in Bjorn's direction at the 13th and 14th gave the 39 year old his tenth European Tour title and first for more than four years.
Former Dubai Desert Classic winner Green bogeyed the par four 14th as his playing partner birdied and when Björn's tee shot went within five feet at the par three next the motor sport enthusiast could only respond by hitting his tee shot into a bunker and dropping another shot.
That saw Björn, whose last Ryder Cup Cap came in the famous victory at The Belfry in 2002, pull five clear and although he bogeyed the 16th he managed to avoid a nervous finish.
It caps an incredible return to form over the last ten days - when he arrived at The Celtic Manor Wales Open last week Björn had missed six successive cuts on The European Tour and was outside the top 200 on The Official World Golf Ranking.
But a top ten finish in Newport gave him the confidence to book an Open Championship spot at Sunningdale on Monday and he adds a winner's cheque for €166,660 with his success at Penha Longa Golf club, climbing into the top 40 on The Race to Dubai as a result.
Green closed with a 70 to finish 18 under for the week, with Dane Mark F Haastrup third on 16 under following a 67.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). Yardage 6904.
Prizemoney in Euros
265 Thomas Bjorn (Den) 67 65 65 68 (166,660).
270 Richard Green (Aus) 67 69 64 70 (111,110).
272 Mark F Haastrup (Den) 67 68 70 67 (62,600).
274 Robert Rock 68 67 68 71 (50,000).
275 Damien McGrane 64 70 68 73 (42,400).
276 Robert Coles 68 66 69 73, Darren Clarke 75 67 68 66 (32,500 each).
277 Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 69 66 68 74, Gary Lockerbie 69 69 71 68, Steve Webster 67 67 70 73 (22,467 each).
278 Tano Goya (Arg) 69 70 68 71, Ignacio Garrido (Spa) 71 70 68 69 (17,800 each).
279 Felipe Aguilar (Chi) 69 70 71 69, Phillip Archer 71 67 71 70
280 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 72 70 71 67, Chris Wood 69 69 66 76, Stephan Gross Jnr (Ger) 70 70 70 70, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 69 67 71 73
281 Marco Ruiz (Par) 68 71 71 71, Mark Brown (Nzl) 71 70 71 69
282 Carlos Del Moral (Spa) 67 65 74 76, Paul Waring 73 68 68 73, Steven Jeppesen (Swe) 75 68 67 72, Fredrik Henge (Swe) 68 73 71 70, Scott Drummond 69 71 69 73, Clodomiro Carranza (Arg) 70 68 73 71, Paul Eales 74 69 69 70, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 67 72 71 72, Bradley Dredge 67 69 69 77 (10,400 each).
283 Richard Bland 66 73 69 75, Andrew Coltart 68 67 70 78, Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) 72 71 70 70, Keith Horne (Rsa) 72 71 71 69, Luke Goddard 64 73 68 78, Graeme Storm 74 69 69 71 (8,167 each).
284 Louis Moolman (Rsa) 69 72 70 73, Tom Whitehouse 72 68 69 75, Markus Brier (Aut) 73 70 70 71, Stuart Manley 65 72 74 73, Gregory Bourdy (Fra) 69 71 72 72, Klas Eriksson (Swe) 71 72 72 69, Oliver Fisher 71 70 68 75
285 Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 70 72 68 75, Jan Are Larsen (Nor) 72 69 72 72, Ake Nilsson (Rsa) 70 71 76 68, David Lynn 69 73 71 72, Gary Murphy 71 69 73 72, Eirik Tage Johansen (Nor) 65 71 73 76, Jean-Francois Remesy (Fra) 75 68 72 70, Sam Little 70 72 74 69
286 Chris Gane 71 72 72 71, John Parry 67 70 73 76, Andrew Tampion (Aus) 66 70 74 76, Peter Gustafsson (Swe) 68 68 74 76, Oskar Henningsson (Swe) 77 66 71 72, Van Phillips 70 73 72 71
287 Jamie Little 72 71 70 74, Marco Soffietti (Ita) 69 71 74 73, Liam Bond 70 72 71 74, Steven O'Hara 76 66 72 73, Jose-Filipe Lima (Por) 71 71 70 75, Andrew McArthur 71 69 69 78, Benjamin Hebert (Fra) 74 67 72 74, Miles Tunnicliff 72 70 71 74 (2,750 each).
288 Henrik Nystrom (Swe) 67 75 72 74, Andre Bossert (Swi) 71 70 74 73, Scott Hend (Aus) 73 70 73 72, Benn Barham 74 69 73 72, Alastair Forsyth 73 68 69 78, Soren Juul (Den) 72 69 78 69, Johan Axgren (Swe) 72 71 71 74 (1,976 each).
290 Ryan Blaum (USA) 71 69 71 79, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 77 66 75 72, James McLean (Aus) 68 75 71 76, Kenneth Ferrie 70 72 73 75
291 Julien Guerrier (Fra) 74 69 73 75
292 Christian Nilsson (Swe) 70 71 73 78, Iain Pyman 68 74 78 72

No place like home for Watson: through to Mid-am last four

Former British amateur champion Craig Watson is through to Monday morning’s semi-finals of the Scottish mid-amateur golf championship – of which he is proud to have been the winner of its inaugural staging in 1994.
This year’s event is being played over Watson’s home course at East Renfrewshire which should make him red-hot favourite to regain the title after 16 years …. but match-play is never as predicatable as that.
Watson qualified from the 36-hole stroke-play test as the No 2 seed but he was almost KO’d in the first round of the match-play by the No 15 qualifier, Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood). Watson scrambled through at the 19th.
He had a somewhat easier passage in the quarter-finals, beating Andrew McKay (Balmore), the No 10 qualifier, by 5 and 4 after being four up on the sixth tee.
Watson now plays Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon), the No 6 seed, for a place in the afternoon final.
The other semi-final features New Zealander Scott Ritchie, the No 9 qualifier, who beat the top seed, Paul Alexander (Caldwell) by one hole in the quarters, and Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle), the No 4 seed.

SCOTTISH MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
Match-play results
FIRST ROUND
Paul Alexander (Caldwell) bt Murray Stewart (Ranfurly Castle) 5 and 4.
Scott Ritchie (NZ) bt Clark Riddick (Southerness) 3 and 1
Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) bt Garry Duncan (Carnoustie Caledonian) 4 and 3.
Ben Renfrew (Wynyard) bt Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 2 holes.
Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) bt Gordon Young (East Renfrewshire) 4 and 3.]
Michael Grunwell (Powfoot) bt Ross Coull (Edzell) 2 and 1.
Andrew McKay (Balmore) bt Alistair Serrels (Royal Montrose0 5 and 4.
Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire)( bt Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood) at 19th.
QUARTER-FINALS
Ritchie bt Alexander 1 hole.
Hamilton bt Renfrew 1 hole.
Moultrie bt Grunwell 2 and 1.
Watson bt McKay 4 and 2.

Scot lifts 32,000 Euros first prize at Macdonald Spey Valley

Murray wins Hydro Challenge by four strokes

By MICHAEL GIBBONS
Deputy Chief Press Officer, European Tour
A brilliant final hole birdie cemented George Murray’s first professional victory in his homeland at the Scottish Hydro Challenge after a superb final round performance at the Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Course in Aviemore.

The 27 year old former Scottish amateur champion from Anstruther, Fife was a model of composure as he compiled an outstanding final round of five under par 66 to take the title and the 32,000 Euros first prize by four shots from Sweden’s Magnus Carlsson, with England’s Lee Slattery sharing third place with Norwegian Marius Thorp on ten under.

Another Scot, Chris Doak, shared fifth place with German Christoph Günther and England’s Matt Haines. Doak's financial reward was 8,133 Euros.

Murray, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had began the final round with a three stroke lead over Carlsson and Thorp and managed to maintain a comfortable cushion between himself and the chasing pack throughout the afternoon.

After sinking a 15 foot birdie putt on the first, Murray settled into the final round perfectly. He dropped a shot on the fourth but roared ahead with a superb run of three consecutive birdies from the eighth to the tenth holes to set up his maiden win, despite late pressure from Carlsson’s back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes and another on the par five 17th.
Standing on the 18th tee, Murray held a two stroke advantage but he would end the tournament four clear as Carlsson could only bogey the last, giving Murray a chance to go for his 35 foot birdie attempt, which he duly accepted, much to the delight of the watching home crowd.
“It feels great to win my first tournament – doing it in Scotland, with my family and friends here supporting me just makes it all the more special,” said Murray. “I played great all week and I didn’t really feel too much pressure out there today.
“I kind of knew that Magnus was having a run but I tried not to pay too much attention to what anyone else was doing and looked after my own score.”
Murray’s first Challenge Tour victory saw beating his previous performances of second in the 2007 Lexus Open and tied second in the 2008 Vodafone Challenge saw him leap 41 places on the Rankings, from 45th to fourth.
That gives Murray a wonderful opportunity to win a place on The European Tour via the top 20 on the end of season Rankings.
“I think the aim now has to be to try and stay in the top five for the rest of the season. Winning will do a lot for my confidence – I have done it here against most of the best players on the Challenge Tour so there’s no reason to think that I can’t do it more often if I play to my abilities.”

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Martin Dempster
Less than two years after fearing his career could be over due to a serious back injury, George Murray was rewarded for listening to some sound advice from Stuart Barton, the former British Lions and Scotland physiotherapist, as he became the second successive home winner of the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley.
A closing 66, which followed three successive 67s over the course situated on the outskirts of Aviemore saw the 27-year-old from Anstruther succeed Jamie McLeary as champion, posting a 17-under total to claim the £26,500 first prize by four shots from Sweden's Magnus Carlsson, with Englishman Lee Slattery and Magnus Thorp from Norway a further three strokes back in joint-third.
Murray's first professional win lifted the 2004 Scottish Amateur champion 41 places into fourth on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit – the top 20 get cards for the European Tour – and also earned him a place in the field for the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles at the end of August.
"I'm delighted," said the winner, who revealed how close he'd come to having surgery 18 months ago in a bid to solve a worrying back problem. "I had a bulging disc and someone wanted to operate. However, Stuart Barton (who has a practice in Pitenweem] advised against it and he's been 100 per cent right. He said I should have a steroid injection into the disc and it's been great ever since."The operation might have been successful but if it had kept going the way it was I wouldn't have been playing, that's for sure. I was missing cut after cut spending lots of money and didn't know if I wanted to keep doing this any more. However, Ian Rae (his coach] also encouraged me to stick in and keep at it. I've been playing well ever since."
Murray's improved form has been borne out by his results. Earlier this season he finished third in the Madeira Island Open on the main circuit and, on the Challenge Tour, has only been outside the top 25 once in six starts. He'll be aiming to keep up the good work in this week's Saint-Omer Open when another good pay-day would help towards the house he's looking to buy in the Broughty Ferry area ahead of his marriage to Carrie, a physiotherapist at Ninewells Hospital, early next year.
On a wet day in Speyside, Murray started out with a three-shot cushion and showed from the off that he wasn't of a mind to go on the back foot.
While an iron had been the preferred weapon of choice on the first tee for many of those in the chasing pack, the Scot pulled out his driver and cracked an opening blow past a clump of trees on the right side of the fairway. That left him with a straightforward chip to the green and he holed from 15 feet for a birdie before Thorp followed him in from slightly closer.
Another positive drive gave Murray a good angle to attack the pin at the second but, after hitting a wedge to eight feet, he undercooked his putt to squander a golden chance, though his lead was up to four after Thorp found sand with his approach and failed to get up and down.
Both Murray and Thorp dropped shots at the par-3 fourth before the Scot produced a decisive burst by reeling off three successive birdies from the eighth. As the final round became a two-horse race, Carlsson, winner of the 2007 Challenge of Ireland, refused to throw in the towel and replied by picking up shots at the 12th and 13th before closing to within two shots of the lead with a birdie at the long 17th.
However, Murray finished with a flourish, holing from 30 feet for a birdie at the last, to a hearty cheer from his supporters surrounding the green. By contrast, Carlsson closed with a bogey – his only dropped shot in the last 28 holes – for a 67.
Greenock's Chris Doak closed with a 70 to share fifth spot on nine-under. He picked up a cheque for just over £6,700 and was delighted to hear he'd got into the field for Saint-Omer, even though he had to scuttle off and hastily make some travel arrangements to get to the French venue.
Two other Scots, Callum Macaulay and Lloyd Saltman, closed with a 67 and 68 respectively to finish in a tie for 11th on seven-under – their best performances of the season.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71). Yardage 7,100.
Prize money in Euros
267 G Murray (Sco) 67 67 67 66 (32,000).
271 M Carlsson (Swe) 65 70 69 67 (22,000).
274 L Slattery (Eng) 69 66 71 68; M Thorp (Nor) 66 71 67 70 (13,000 each).
275 M Haines (Eng) 68 72 66 69; C Doak (Sco) 67 70 68 70; C Günther (Ger) 67 68 72 68 (8,133 each).
276 M McGeady (Irl) 68 74 68 66; A Bernadet (Fra) 71 69 68 68; M Bliss (Can) 69 72 65 70 (4,933 each).
277 M Tullo (Chi) 66 70 69 72; F Calmels (Fra) 66 72 71 68; C Macaulay (Sco) 72 68 70 67; L Saltman (Sco) 72 67 70 68; A Willey (Eng) 73 68 66 70; N Cheetham (Eng) 71 71 69 66; C Russo (Fra) 66 71 74 66 (3,400 each).
278 B Grace (RSA) 72 69 66 71; I Van Weerelt (Ned) 67 71 70 70; N Lemke (Swe) 69 72 68 69 (2,433 each).
279 C Moriarty (Irl) 71 67 70 71; A Gee (Eng) 67 72 73 67; J McLeary (Sco) 71 68 68 72 (1,960 each).
280 A Mellor (Eng) 72 70 71 67; S Jamieson (Sco) 68 69 74 69; A Perrino (Ita) 69 69 73 69; L James (Eng) 67 71 68 74; C Brazillier (Fra) 70 71 73 66 (1,800 each).
281 J Zapata (Arg) 69 71 71 70; A Ahokas (Fin) 66 75 71 69; A Johnston (Eng) 71 71 69 70; J Grillon (Fra) 68 73 70 70 (1,620 each).
282 S Henry (Sco) 70 71 71 70; R Kind (Ned) 70 72 69 71; E Saltman (Sco) 69 73 68 72; S Davis (Eng) 70 69 74 69 (1,460 each).
283 J Caldwell (NIr) 68 72 72 71; C Smith (Wal) 70 70 70 73; M Cort (Eng) 66 73 72 72; P Del Grosso (Arg) 70 69 69 75; O Whiteley (Eng) 68 73 71 71 (1,280 each).
284 O Floren (Swe) 70 67 71 76; L Kennedy (Eng) 71 69 71 73; M Manassero (Ita) 67 71 74 72; B Evans (Eng) 71 69 69 75; O David (Fra) 68 72 74 70; S Arnold (Aus) 72 70 68 74 (1,060 each).
285 S Surry (Eng) 72 68 70 75; M Baldwin (Eng) 70 71 75 69; F Colombo (Ita) 69 71 75 70; S Garcia (Esp) 70 71 79 65; B Wiesberger (Aut) 72 67 72 74; J Moul (Eng) 71 65 74 75 (830 each).
286 J Estevez (Arg) 68 68 76 74; H Bacher (Aut) 72 70 74 70; A Wagner (Arg) 72 69 73 72; L Westerberg (Swe) 70 71 73 72; G Shaw (Nir) 68 71 73 74 (700 each).
288 W Ormsby (Aus) 72 70 75 71; S Buhl (Ger) 70 72 73 73; C Ford (Eng) 71 70 73 74; G Houston (Wal) 73 68 73 74; G Lornie (Sco) 71 68 76 73 (600 each).
290 C Rodgers (Eng) 70 72 75 73 (540).
291 R Dinwiddie (Eng) 69 68 74 80 (520).
298 L Matthews (Wal) 71 70 75 82 (500).