GREAT SCOTT INCENTIVE FOR BOYS' FIELD AT NAIRN DUNBAR

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH
GOLF UNION
By ROSS DUNCAN
Scotland’s leading golfer on the European Tour this season, Scott Jamieson, will provide the inspiration for the 144 talented youngsters lining up at Nairn Dunbar this week contesting the Scottish Under-18  boys' stroke-play championship (Tuesday to Thursday).
Jamieson, ranked number 36 in the Race to Dubai in his debut season on the top tier, won the boys' stroke play title 10 years ago at Lanark in 2001 and the country’s rising young stars will be hoping to emulate his success in the Highlands as they bid to make their own mark in the game.
(Jamieson is pictured left by Cal Carson Golf Agency during his successful amateur career, which included victory in the 2001 Scottish boys' stroke-play at Lanark).
Among the likely contenders will be reigning Scottish boys' match-play champion David Wilson (Troon Welbeck), who captured the title in dramatic fashion back in April with a win at the 38th hole, while Liam Johnston (Dumfries County) will be looking to make amends for losing that final at Dunbar with a win this week.
Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest, winner of the match play in 2009, enjoyed a good performance in the Scottish boys' stroke-play championship over his home course 12 months ago, finishing seventh, and has his sights set on emulating former clubmate Lloyd Saltman, who took the title back in 2003.
Last year’s champion was Finland’s Linus Vaisanen and five of his young countrymen will line up in this year’s field, with the 2008 champion, Kilmarnock Barassie’s Jack McDonald looking for his second national boys’ stroke-play title in his final season as a junior.
Greig Marchbank, who leads the SGU boys’ Order of Merit, will be hoping to cap a fine season in style with a national championship win, while Liberton’s Anthony Blaney, second in the rankings, can close the gap at the top with victory this week.
The rippling links and tight fairways of this beautiful course overlooking the Moray Firth will present a great challenge to the 144-strong field and as club secretary Jim Gibson explains, the course has introduced a number of important changes since it last hosted the event in 1999.
“Since Barry Hume won the same event here 12 years ago there have been many significant developments, including the addition of new fairway bunkers and improved putting surfaces. These are part of an ongoing programme of improvements that have taken Nairn Dunbar from being a good course to a great course,” said Gibson.
“Members and visitors alike have been raving about our greens this season. We have new piece of kit, called a Greens Iron, which gives the greens extra pace and improved roll and I’m sure we’ll be making them as quick as we can for the boys.” he added.
The championship takes place over 72 holes with the leading 40 players and ties qualifying at the end of play on Wednesday for Thursday’s final two rounds. The first round gets underway at 7am tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

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