SCOTT LARKIN WINS SECOND NE ALLIANCE IN THREE WEEKS

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Royal Aberdeen’s Scott Larkin won his second North-east Golfers’ Alliance competition in three weeks with a par-matching round of 71 (37-34) in thoroughly unpleasant conditions of wind and rain at Murcar Links today.

“That’s the best ball-striking round I’ve had since I was runner-up to Greig Hutcheon in the Northern Open last September,” said 24-year-old Larkin, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has a +3 rating as an amateur and played on the US college circuit for four years.

“But my putting was pretty poor. I was putting for birdies at just about every hole from seventh and holed only one, for a 2 at the short 16^th.”

Larkin, a little bit unlucky not to be in the SGU Elite Squad, still feels he could break into the reckoning for a Walker Cup place in September by winning a big tournament, such as the Lytham Trophy.

“On my game, I know I could do it and I’ll be a full-time amateur for the rest of the year so I should be able to give myself a chance.”

Larkin won the Alliance honours on the day by two strokes from fellow amateurs John Duff (Newmachar) (37-36) and Auchmill’s John Nicolson (38-35.

Alfie Smith (Turriff) was the leading senior (55 years and over) with a scratch 74 but his joint fourth place in the overall scratch list would probably free up the seniors' £10 voucher to go to Scottish senior cap George Paterson (Northern) who had a 75.
(Later info: Both Alfie Smith and George Paterson figured on the scratch prize list which, under the rule that nobody can win two prizes, means that the seniors' £10 voucher will go to the next best senior on the scratch list. I have to admit, that in the absence of a "master list" of members who have owned up to being aged 55 and over, I cannot say who that is. It may be the 2011-2012 Alliance season before we get that list of seniors)
George Paterson had the proverbial "game of two halves." He was out in 42, losing two balls at the third hole, which cost him an 8, but coming home in two-under-par 33 with birdies at the 11th, 12th and 14th, marred only by a bogey at the 16th. His good run had actually been triggered by his first birdie of the day at the ninth. 

The conditions were so bad that the percentage of No Returns and No Shows in the field of 74 was over the 30 mark.
Chris Brindley (Banchory), winner of Class 2 of the handicap with a net 71 off 12 of a handicap, tells me that he three-putted six times. Chris, by the way, tells me that he is a "senior golfer" - and he has the aches and pains to prove it.

 

LEADING SCRATCH

Par 71

71 S Larkin (Royal Aberdeen).

73 J Duff (Newmachar), J Nicolson (Auchmill).

74 A J Smith (Turriff) s

75 G Paterson (Northern) s, S Chalmers (Banchory) p, Sean Lawrie (Portlethen).

76 C Law (Kings Links) p, J Hopwood (Carnegie) p.

77 A Campbell (Deeside), M Merchant (Newmachar), J Calam (Myrus) p, Laura Murray (Alford).

78 R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) p, R O’Donnell (Oldmeldrum).

79 J Reid (Cruden Bay), D A Fleming (Portlethen), K Beveridge (Inchmarlo) p. 

82 S Mackie (Auchmill), G Munro (Fraserburgh).

83 G Geddes (Auchmill), L Prouse (Hazlehead), M Booth (Kemnay), N K Parker (Murcar Links) s.

84 C Ord (Auchmill), J Forrest (Northern) s.

85 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), C Brindley (Banchory) s, D McKay (Caledonian) s.

86 R Brown (Inverurie), R Orr (Kemnay), G Stevely (Murcar Links)

87 B Harper (Newburgh), H McNaughton (Cruden Bay), G Homer (Northern).

88 J Dalgarno (Hazlehead), A Graham (Banchory).

89 L Roger (Royal Aberdeen) s, J Mackintosh (Auchmill) s, D Bisset (Banchory) s, Steve Lawrie (Portlethen).

91 S Kennedy (Craibstone).

92 J L Gall (Caledonian) s.

93 B Lumsden (Northern).

94 D Philip (Newburgh).

95 M F R Rogers (Kemnay) s.

98 M Brown (Inverurie).

 

SCRATCH PRIZEWINNERS

1 Scott Larkin; 2 John Nicolson and John Duff; 4 A J Smith; 5 Sean Lawrie, George Paterson, Steve Chalmers.

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
Class 1

71 M Merchant (Newmachar) (5).
74 D A Fleming (Portlethen) (5).
75 R O'Donnell (Oldmeldrum) (3).
76 J Forrest (Northern) (8), A Campbell (Deeside) (1).
Class 2
71 C Brindley (Banchory) (12).
72 M Booth (Kemnay) (11), R Brown (Inverurie) (14).
73 N K Parker (Murcar Links) (10).
74 R Orr (Kemnay) (12), C Ord (Auchmill) (10).

LEADING SENIOR SCRATCH SCORES (unofficial list)
74 A J Smith (Turriff).
75 G Paterson (Northern).
83 N K Parker (Murcar Links).
84 J Forrest (Northern).
85 D McKay (Caledonian), C Brindley (Banchory).

*If you are a senior golfer, i.e. aged 55 or over, and your name does not have an 's' after it in the full list of scratch scores above, please E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com to that effect.

 MURCAR LINKS SCORECARD: PAR 71. Yardage 6,516
OUT: 4-4-4-5-3-4-4-4-4--36. IN: 4-4-3-4-5-4-3-4-4--35

SCOTT LARKIN 71
OUT: 4-5-4-4-3-5-4-4-4--37. IN: 4-4-3-4-5-4-2-4-4--34.

JOHN DUFF 73
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-4-5-4-4--37. IN: 5-4-3-4-5-4-3-4-4--36.

JOHN NICOLSON 73
OUT: 4-5-4-5-3-5-5-4-3--38. IN: 4-4-3-5-3-4-4-4-4--35.

ALFIE SMITH 74
OUT: 5-4-4-5-4-5-4-4-4--39. IN: 3-4-3-5-5-4-3-4-4--35.

STEVE CHALMERS 75
OUT: 5-4-4-5-3-5-4-5-3--38. IN: 4-4-2-4-7-4-3-4-5--37

GEORGE PATERSON 75
OUT: 4-4-8-6-3-5-5-4-3--42. IN: 4-3-2-4-4-4--4-4-4--32.

SEAN LAWRIE 75
OUT: 5-4-3-4-3-6-5-5-4--39. IN: 4-5-3-4-5-4-3-4-4--36