PAUL McKECHNIE STRIKES AGAIN IN BOTHWELL CASTLE PRO-AM

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Paul McKechnie scored his fifth pro-am victory of the year at Bothwell Castle Golf Club this week. Underlining the Braid Hills' man's consistency in 2011 it is also his 17th top-5 finish and his 21st top-10 placing this year on the PGA Scotland domestic circuit.
His cash prize for a one-shot victory with a five-under-par, bogey-free round of 65 was £1,138.99, boosting his season's earnings to $13,755 from 28 events, cementing his place as the Tartan Tour's leadig money-winner in 2011.
McKechnie, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, birdied the long first, the fifth, 10th, 15th and long 18th.
Joint runners-up on 66 were Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) with a bag of eight birdies, including the last four in a row - pity about the four shots dropped from the sixth to the ninth - Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), who birdied the last three, Stephen Gray (Hayston) who had an eagle 3 at the last, and Banchory's Greig Hutcheon whose only bogey, at the short 17th, cost him outright second place, and Chris Kelly (Cawder).
All five received £571.62.
Mark King (Kingsfield) led the Deans Civil Engineers trio of Steven Deans (handicap 12), Alan Sinclair (5) and Jennifer Robertson (7) to victory in the pro-am team event with a net score of 15-under-par 55.
TOP 20 PRO SCORES
Par 70
65 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) £1,138.99.
66 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Stephen Gray (Hayston), Chris Kelly (Cawder) and Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) £571.62 each.
67 Alan Lockhart (Ladybank), James McGhee (Duddingston), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst), Graham Fox (East Kilbride) £239.14 each.
68 David Orr (East Renfrewshire), Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club) £165.01 each.
69 Steven Duncan (unatt), Alan Purdie (Kingsbarns), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links), David Patrick (Elie Sports Club), Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Colin Gillies (Kingsfield) £119.57 each.
70 James McKinnon (Irvine), Graham Mackay (Prestonfield) £74.13 each.