GARETH WRIGHT ON THE MARK AT DUNDONALD

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Welshman Gareth Wright led from start to finish in  in landing the £1,750 first prize in the Optical Express PGA Tour's 54-hole Order of Merit tournament at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire today.
Wright, 30, who has lived in Scotland since his father was appointed club pro at West Linton, had one hand on the cheque from the moment he posted a nine-under-par 63 in the first round but Banchory's Greig Hutcheon closed to within a shot of him with 18 holes to go.
In the final round, Wright's second one-under-par 71 for a final total of 11-under 205 was good enough to hold Hutcheon at bay. The Banchory man bogeyed the fourth and seven while playing partner Wright as birdieing the first, long third and long eighth. That put Wright on easy street, six shots clear of Hutcheon who had had to be content with the £1,300 runner-up prize.
Chris Doak (unattached) and former Scottish amateur champion Andrew McArthur shared third place on 208, three behind the winner and one behind Hutcheon. Doak signed off with a 70 made up of six birdies and four bogeys while McArthur had only three variations from par - birdies at the first and seventh and a bogey at the 18th in a 71.
Round of the day came from another past Scottish amateur champion, Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan). After shooting a 77 in the second round, Callum posted a seven-under 65 on the final circuit which lifted him up to four-under-212 and earned him £350.

Macaulay was eight under par for the first 14 holes with six birdies and an eagle at the 14th. He dropped his only shot at the 15th and parred in from there.
The next Optical Express PGA Tour event is over two days and 36 holes at Spey Valley, Aviemore on May 1-2.
"The Optical Express PGA Tour has got off to a terrific start," said Roy Murray, the tournament director. "It had all the ingredients - probably the strongest ever field for a Tartan Tour event, a great links course and some brilliant scoring, particularly Gareth's opening 63 and Callum Macaulay's closing 65."

FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3x72)

205 Gareth Wright (West Linton) 63 71 71 (£1,750).

207 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 68 67 72 (£1,300).

208 Chris Doak (unatt) 71 67 70, Andrew McArthur (unatt) 70 67 71 (£900 each).
209 Steven O’Hara (Alain Equestrian Shoot) 68 72 69 (£600).

210 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 71 72 67 (£500).

212 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 69 71 72, Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 70 70 72, Callum Macaulay (Tulliallan) 70 77 65 (£350 each).

213 Jack Doherty ( North Gailes ) 69 70 74, Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) 70 71 72 (£270 each)

216 Craig Lee (Tain) 70 78 68, Stephen Gray (Hayston) 67 72 77, Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 73 73 70, David Patrick (Elie SC) 74 73 69 (£210 each).

218 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle ) 74 70 74, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 74 70, Wallace Booth (Comrie) 72 74 72 (£165 each).

220 Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) 77 71 72 (£155).

221 Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) 72 76 73, Scott Herald (Mearns Castle) 68 80 73 (£147 each).

222 David Orr (Mearns Castle ) 75 70 77 (£140)

223 Ross Kellett (unatt) 75 74 74, Ross Dixon (Renaissance) 71 74 78, Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle) 73 74 76 (£130 each).

224 Graham Fox (Rowallan Castle ) 74 71 79, Patrick Walker (England) 71 78 75, Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 72 77 75 (£115 each).
226 Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 76 70 80 (£105)

227 Fraser Grant (Ralston) (amateur) 70 77 80

228 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 72 77 79, Andrew McIntyre (Ranfurly Castle) 73 74 81 (£97.50 each).