BANKS CATCHES OVERNIGHT LEADER FRASER TO WIN SENIOR TITLE

Charles Banks from Stanton-on-the-Wolds, Notts, the new Scottish men's senior open amateur champion at Irvine Bogside - Image by courtesy of the SGU and Andy Forman

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
For the second time in the past three years, the Scottish senior men’s open amateur championship trophy has gone south of the Border.
Charles Banks from the Stanton on the Wolds club, Nottinghamshire, headed overnight leader John Fraser (Royal Burgess) early in the third and final round and went on to win the title by two strokes from the former shinty player and schoolteacher.
Banks had three steady rounds of 73, 74 and 73 for a seven-over-par total of 220 over the par-71 Irvine Bogside course in Ayrshire.
Fraser scored 75, 71 and 76 for 222 while Monifieth’s Ian Hutcheon, the former Walker Cup player who was the over-55s champion in 2003, 2004 and 2007, finished joint third with John Baldwin (Sunningdale) on 224. Hutcheon shot 74, 77 and 73, Baldwin 76, 76 and 72.
David Lane (Goring and Streatley), the Englishman who was champion in 2001, 2002 and 2009, missed the cut this week as did defending champion and past Walker Cup player, Scott MacDonald of Dunfermline..
Banks, two behind Fraser at the start of the final round, forged ahead with an outward half of one-under-par 35 to Fraser’s 39.


FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71). SSS 73. CSS 74
220 Charles Banks (Stanon on the Wolds) 73 74 73.
222 John Fraser (Royal Burgess) 75 71 76.
224 Ian Hutcheon (Monifieth) 74 77 73, John Baldwin (Sunningdale) 76 76 72.
225 Douglas Cameron (Moor Park) 73 80 72, Fraser McClusky (Royal Burgess) 74 76 75.
226 James Gardner (Broomieknowe) 76 74 76.
227 Glyn Rees (Fleetwood) 75 74 78, Gordon Mair (Irvine Bogside) 75 72 80.
228 Richard Gray (Cowglen) 77 77 74, Roy Smethurst (Crewe) 76 76 76, Adrian Donkersley (Gerrards Cross) 75 76 77, David Miller (Kilmarnock Barassie) 74 76 78.
229 Robert Stewsart (Tulliallan) 79 73 77.
230 Michael Wilson (Strathpeffer Spa) 76 78 76.
231 Colin Christy (Kilmacolm) 79 80 72, Michael Wigley (Royal North Devon) 74 81 76, Gordon MacDonald (Callander) 74 79 78, Rich Tolly (US) 77 74 80.
232 Gerry Boobis (Ravelston) 78 77 77, Robbie Fulker (Kilmkarncok Barassie) 70 78 84.
233 Billy Mitchell (Hankley Common) 75 81 77, John Johnston (Royal Aberdeen) 81 74 78.
234 Michael Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 75 80 79, David Smith (Stirling) 75 78 81.
235 John Willis (Carlisle) 80 77 78, Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse) 74 82 79, Alan Harrington (Western Gailes) 74 80 81.
237 Jim Watt (Edzell) 78 81 78, John Ashton (Prestwick St Nicholas) 80 79 78, Iain MacDonald (Bruntsfield Links) 84 75 78, David Millar (St Andrews New) 79 77 81.
238 Albert Smith (Turriff) 83 74 81.
239 Derek Murphy (Kinross) 73 83 83.
240 Mike Wilde (Camberley Heath) 77 82 81, Stephen Whymark (Woodbridge) 77 78 85.
241 Dave Jessup (Rochester and Cobham) 77 77 87.
242 Nick O’Byrne (Moor Park) 81 78 83.
243 Keith Morris (Camberley Heath) 78 78 87.
244 Dave Millar (Goswick) 81 78 85.
245 Bob Humble (Kilspindie) 74 83 88.
246 David Brown (Irvine Ravenspark) 74 83 89.