NORTH-EAST MAKE TWO CHANGES FOR SCOTTISH TITLE DEFENCE

Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), named in North-east team for title defence at Prestwick (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Title-holders North-east have made two changes in last year's winning line-up for the defence of the Moneygate Scottish men's area team championship at Prestwick and Prestwick St Nicholas on May 14 and 15.

The team, captained by Paul Gallacher, is:

ADAM DUNTON (McDonald Ellon)
JORDAN FINDLAY (Fraserburgh)
SCOTT LARKIN (Royal Aberdeen)
DAVID LAW (Hazlehead)
PHILIP McLEAN (Peterhead)
KRIS NICOL (Fraserburgh)

Dunton and Findlay replace Anthony Bews, runner-up to Jordan Findlay in the Scottish Alliance championship last October, and former Scotland cap Bryan Innes, both Murcar Links Golf Club members.
After the North-east success at Kinross last May, Findlay, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, recaptured the form that saw him reach two British boys' championship finals, winning in 2004 and losing in 2005, by reaching the final of the Scottish amateur championship at Gullane and later winning the Scottish Alliance championship at Murcar Links in the autumn.
Dunton has moved into the front rank of North-east amateur golf over the past couple of years and is one of the leading players on the North-east Alliance winter circuit.
Team captain Paul Gallacher explained:
"The North-east selection committee had a very difficult choice to make as we have a number of very good players in the district at the minute, a nice problem to have but still a difficult decision to make.
"As the area team championship comes at a very early point in the year it is difficult to get a clear view of players in form so we have two or three squad sessions in the winter, the last of which was at Royal Aberdeen on April 14.
"We then take into account results from the competitions up to and including the district's 36-hole Phillips Trophy. The other factor, which admittedly doesn’t help Brian Innes or Anthony Bews is that the six guys picked are full time golfers which gives them a fair bit of an advantage when it comes to showing consistency this early in the season.
"So, to sum up, Jordan Findlay has been picked because he’s a member of the Scottish Elite squad and shown  excellent form both throughout the winter and since coming back from South Africa and Adam has had a good string of results-  a top 20 finish at Craigmillar Park Open, beaten for first place on a countback at the Phillips Tropy at the weekend, had a good showing at the squad sessions and he is someone we’ve had our eye on for a while."

In last year's Scottish area team championship, the first to be played under a new format of 36-holes' stroke-play from which the top four teams qualify for the match-play stages, North-east beat Renfrewshire 4 1/2-1/2 in the final and Lothians beat Ayrshire 4 1/2-1/2 in the play-off for third place.

Other teams announced:
ANGUS
Campbell Donaldson (Downfield), Ross Bell (Downfield), Stewart Smith (Downfield), Martin Brown (Monifieth), Gary Tough (Edzell), Ross Coull (Edzell).
CLACKMANNANSHIRE
James Aitken (Alloa), Lawrence Allan (Alva), Scott Borrowman (Dollar), Darren Hulston (Dollar), Scott Moffat (Braehead), Ian Ross (Alloa).
DUNBARTONSHIRE
Fraser McKenna (Balmore), Paul Gault (Westerwood), Gordon Yates (Hilton Park), Paul Betty (Lenzie), Craig Checkley (Vale of Leven), Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton).
FIFE
James White (Lundin), Brian Soutar (Leven), Greg Paterson (St Andrews New), Peter Latimer (St Andrews New), Scott Crichton (Aberdour), Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's)
LANARKSHIRE
Ross Kellet (Colville Park), Paul Shields (Kirkhill), Steven Rennie (Drumpellier),
Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood), Stewart Henderson (Hamilton), Scott Douglas (Drumpellier)
PERTH and KINROSS
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie), Stuart Graham (Blairgowrie), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), Liam Barn (Craigie Hill) Stuart McKendrick (Dunkeld and Birnam), Thomas White (Milnathort).
RENFREWSHIRE
Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle), Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), Ronnie Clark (Erskine), Andy Farmer (Kilmacolm), Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs), Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire).
SOUTH
Michael Grunwell (Powfoot), Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co), Liam Johnston (Dumfries and Co), Clark Riddick (Southerness), Scott Gibson (Southerness), Iain Thomson (Powfoot).

Districts, who have not so far named their teams on http://www.scottishgolfview.com/, are:

ARGYLL and BUTE, AYRSHIRE, BORDERS, GLASGOW, LOTHIANS, NORTH,  STIRLINGSHIRE.
Monday, May 2 is SGU deadline for returning entry forms.

Officials are invited to send their team names to Colin@scottishgolfview.com