FRASER McKENNA WINS CHAMPIONS' TOURNEY BY THREE SHOTS

JUST CHAMPION! That's how Fraser McKenna is feeling as he receives the winner's trophy from Peter Millar, the captain of Leven Golfing Society. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.   By COLIN FARQUHARSON  Colin@scottishgolfview.com Fraser McKenna, 21-year-old Glasgow player from the Balmore club, won the Scottish Champion of Champions tournament by three shots in a finish to the 72-hole domestic golf season curtain raiser that was slightly anti-climatical today. McKenna had rounds of 68, 69, 70 and 68 for a nine-under-par total of 275, finishing three shots ahead of joint runners-up, long-time leader Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) and  defending champion Brian Soutar (Leven Golfing Society). McKenna, a former British boys beaten finalist and winner of the 72-hole Sutherland Chalice last season, got to 13 under par for the tournament with a par-eagle-par burst from the 11th to the 13th in his closing round. But it was uphill after that. Each of the top three found the last few holes into a cold wind, dampish conditions and unashamedly tough pin placements a bit of a struggle just to par the holes. McKenna, who had an eagle and five birdies in a bogey-free first 13 holes of his fourth round,  dropped four shots over the last five holes after going to the turn in three-under 31. He finished bogey-double bogey but was never in danger of defeat because it became as difficult for his rivals as it did for him. "I was on a roll but the conditions got tougher, but despite dropping those shots I feel that all the practice and hard work I did in South Africa during the winter weeks the SGU Elite Squad spent there is paying off," said Fraser who would see a place in Scotland's team for the Home Internationals as a high enough target for the moment. McKenna, who was the leading Scot in sixth place in last year's Lytham Trophy, doesn't rule out going to the European Tour Qualifying School - if he is playing well in the second half of the season. Brian Soutar, who came out of the pack over Sunday's final 36 holes to win this title last year, looked as if he might just stage a repeat when he had a 66 in the morning third round and then birdied the first and third of his final circuit. Brian, who has a mind to turn pro at the end of the season - if he is playing well, got to seven under par with birdies at the ninth, 11th and 12th but he took could make no further headway into the wind and closed with a 69 for six-under 278. Graeme Robertson on Saturday looked as if he was going to make every post a winning one with opening rounds of 64 and 69 but he lost his momentum with a third round 73 (two over par) and when he could only par the first 11 holes of the third round, his chance had gone. Even an eagle at the 12th could not revive his challenge and he finished with a 72 for 278. It wasn't a successful tournament for the North or North-east hopes. Newmachar's John Duff looked as if he were running into form with a second-round 67 but he just could not get going over the Sunday rounds and scored 78-79 for 296. John can play a lot better than that. Bryan Fotheringham finished on 297 with a closing round of 80 which included a 10 at the par-5 sixth hole.   FINAL TOTALS Par 284 (4x71) CSS 73 72 74 74 275 Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 68 69 70 68 278 Brian Soutar (Leven GS) 73 70 66 69, Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 64 69 73 72. 279 Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 69 71 71 68 282 James White (Lundin) 71 72 68 71 285 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 71 72 68 74, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 72 71 73 69, Kyle McClung (Wigtownshire Co) 69 68 78 70. 287 Scott Stewart-Cation (The Duke's) 78 64 74 71. 288 Scott  Brown (Turnberry Hotel) 72 75 69 72, Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie) 69 74 71 74, Stephen Machin (Cowglen) 71 70 75 72. 289 Gordon Miller (Cawder) 73 68 72 76, Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 68 72 77 72. 291 Jamie Morris (Peebles) 71 70 77 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 66 74 77 74 292 Paul Shields (Kirkhill) 72 75 73 72 293 Stephen Simmants (Dunbar) 72 73 75 73. 295 Conor O'Neil (Pollok) 74 73 68 80 296 Hugh Nelson (Kilsyth Lennox) 73 72 75 76, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 72 70 73 81, John Duff (Newmachar) 72 67 78 79. 297 Scott Crichton (Aberdour) 73 76 74 74, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 73 70 75 79, Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness) 73 68 76 80. 299 Gary Sharp (St Andrews) 71 79 74 75, Raymond Perry (Monifieth) 74 75 73 77, Paul Alexander (Caldwell) 73 71 77 78, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 69 69 80 81 300 Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 76  70 77 77 301 Craig Hamilton (Ballochmyle) 78 76 72 75. 302 George Crawford (Williamwood) 74 75 76 77 303 Andrew Campbell (Dumbarton) 76 74 75 78, Josh Jamieson (St Andrews New) 73 73 77 80. 304 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 78 74 74 78, Clark Brechin (Portlethen) 75 73 78 78. 305 Kevin Blyth (Lundin) 74 76 77 78 307 Scott Moffat (Braehead) 79 73 74 81, Greg Forrester (Balbirnie Park) 78 73 78 78. 310 Brian Graham (Kelso) 75 78 78 79. 311 Alan McKie (Glencruitten) 75 79 78 79, Mark O'Donnell (Hamilton) 80 73 81 77. 316 Thomas White (Milnathort) 83 75 79 79. 318 William Fleming (Ballochmyle) 80 81 82 75. 319 George McMillan (Machrihanish) 73 80 84 82. 327 David Wylie (Lenzie) 80 78 85 84. 330 Christopher Mooney (Gourock) 88 80 82 80. NR Lee Jenkins (Elderslie) 75 73 NR -