ROBERTSON WINS RAIN-CUT SE DISTRICT TITLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com  Glenbervie's Graeme Robertson finally made it to the winner's enclosure on the SGU's Order of Merit 72-hole tournament circuit by triumphing in the rain-shortened South-east District championship at Musselburgh Golf Club, Monktonhall today. Stirling University student Robertson, who gained his first cap for Scotland in the recent Home Internationals, had been there or thereabouts in almost every domestic 72-hole event without landing a title. But with Saturday's play washed out, Robertson was able to finish two shots clear of the field in a championship reduced to two rounds but kept afloat, as it were, only by the hard work of the club's greenkeeping staff as rain returned with a vengeance on Sunday afternoon.. Robertson had rounds of 72 and 69 for a one-under-par total of 141. Conditions were not easy and the CSS for the first round was 75, three over the SSS. Aberdeenshire's Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) and young Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) finished joint second, two shots off the pace on 143. Dunton had rounds of 74 and 69, Bradley 72 and 71. Local man Kenneth Wright led with a 69 at the end of the first round but he drifted to a 79 in the late afternoon and finished joint 11th. Former British amateur champion Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) was lying second after 18 holes with a 71 but he too could not maintain his challenge over another round. A 75 for 146 was still a good effort by the veteran and he earned joint fourth position. Playing conditions were not everybody's cup of tea and the No Returns included two winners already on the Order of Merit this year - Fraser McKenna (Balmore), winner of the Sutherland Chalice at Dumfries, and Ross Bell (Downfield), winner of the Leven Gold Medal earlier this month. +SCROLL DOWN BELOW THE SCORES TO READ MARTIN DEMPSTER'S REPORT ON THE LOTHIANS GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE FINAL TOTALS Par 142 (2x71) Yardage 6,725. SS 71 CSS 75 75 141 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 72 69. 143 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 74 69, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 72 71. 146 Stephen Neilson (Dunbar) 75 71, Lewis Bain (Turnhouse) 76 70, Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 71 75, Cameron Marr (Musselburgh) 72 74 147 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 74 73, Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) 73 74, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 74 73. 148 Kenneth Wright (Musselburgh) 69 79, Tom Caldwell (Silverknowes) 75 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 77 71, Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 75 73, Jamie Aitken (Alloa) 74 74, Lee McCarthie (Turnhouse) 73 75. 149 Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 76 73, Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 75 74, Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's) 76 73, Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 74 75, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 77 72. 150 Craig Howie (Peebles) 74 76, Greg Nicholson (Mortonhall) 73 77, Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) 77 73, Craig Thomson (East Renrwshire) 76 74, James Hendrick (Pollok) 73 77 Alan Anderson (Bruntsfield Links) 73 77, Alastair Hain (Ladybank) 76 75. 151 Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse) 76 75, Daniel Flannery (Peebles) 74 77. 152 Andrew Wallace (Glenbervie) 78 74, Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 80 72, Derrick Williams (Duddingston) 75 77, Steven Rennie (Drumpellier) 77 75, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 75 77, Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 75 77, Garry Thomson (Duddingston) 79 73 153 Craig Johnstone (Royal Musselburgh) 78 75, Richard Gill (Craigmillar Park) 769 784 Keith Hamilton (Ayr Belleilse) 80 73, Matthew Bacon (Costessey Park) 78 756. 154 Kevin Blyth (Lundin) 73 81, Sean McGarvey (Glencorse) 75 79, Mike Gray (Larjnk) 76 78, Michael Bacigalupo (Longniddry) 81 73, Lawrence Allan (Alva) 75 79. 155 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 79 76, George Thomson (The Glen) 80 75. 156 Graham Robertson (Silverkknowes) 80 76, Craig Deerness (Harburn) 80 76, Mark Bookless (Sandyhills) 77 79, Keith Reilly (Silverknowes) 78 78, Fraser Thain (West Linton) 77 79. 157 Thomas White (Milnathort) 86 71, John Duff (Newmachar) 77 80, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 82 75. 158 Varun Varadharajan (Royal Burgess) 79 79, Donald Anderson (Edinburgh Thistle) 78 80. 159 Keith Mackenzie ( Bruntsfield Links) 79 80, Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 80 79. Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes) 78 81. 160 Conor Scott (Duddingston) 81 79. 161 Scott Young (Turnhouse) 81 80. 164 Liam McGowan (St Andrews New) 80 84. 166 Ian Bell (Scotscraig) 82 84. NRs included Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 77 -,. Ross Bell (Downfield) 82 -. REPORT BY MARTIN DEMPSTER FROM LOTHIANS GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE

RISING Lothians stars Lewis Bain and Cameron Marr both gave a good account of themselves in finishing in a tie for fourth along with Stephen Neilson. But pride of place in a weather-shortened South East District Open at Musselburgh went to Glenbervie's Graeme Robertson.
In an event that was reduced to 36 holes after the two rounds scheduled for Saturday were washed out, the Stirling University student landed his first SGU Order of Merit title with rounds of 72 and 69 at Monktonhall.
With a one-under-par total, he won by two shots from McDonald Ellon's Adam Dunton (74, 69) and Mount Ellen's Eamon Bradley (72, 71).
"I'm delighted to get a first win under my belt," said Robertson. "I've been close a few times this year, finishng second twice and third and fourth as well.
"I drove the ball really well and didn't miss many fairways. My putting was also good. In fact, I played well around considering the conditions."
Bain, this year's Lothians Boys' champion from Turnhouse, shot rounds of 76 and 70 as he finished alongside both Marr and Neilson.
Marr, a member of the host club, shot 72 and 74, with Neilson, last year's Scottish Amateur Championship semi-finalist from Dunbar, posting 75 and 71.
Marr's clubmate, Kenny Wright, led after a first-round 69 but he took ten shots more on the second circuit.
Joining him on the 148 mark were four other Lothians players - Dunbar's Danny Kay, beaten finalist in this year's Scottish Amateur, Tam Caldwell of Silverknowes, Craigielaw's Ross Noon and Lee McCathie of Turnhouse.
Despite the event being reduced to 36 holes, it still counted for points in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.