PATRICK RECORD ON ROAD TO VICTORY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Walker Cup winner at Nairn in 1999, Edinburgh man David Patrick scored his biggest success in 11 years as a pro at Brora Golf Club today (Tuesday). The 37-year-old, based at Elie Sports Club, Fife, shot a course record, six-under-par 63 to add to his 68 at Tain on Monday, for an eight-under-par total of 131. That gave Patrick a two-stroke victory from joint runners-up Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) and Scottish PGA champion Alan Lockhart (Ladybank) with Chris Kelly (Cawder) and overnight leader Scott Henderson (Kings Links) sharing fourth place on 135. Patrick, pictured after his round by Robin Wilson,   has won the Scottish Young Professionals' championship for the past three years but beating a field of the Tartan Tour's finest would rank above that. His iron play was first-class, helping him towards a bag of seven birdies over the classic James Braid links - at the first, second, seventh, long eighth, 10th, 14th and 17th. Patrick slipped up only once, a 4 at the short ninth, in halves of 32 (three under par) and 31 (also three under). His winner's cheque amounted to £1,300. Hutcheon finished only two shots behind the winner, despite only parring the last seven holes after birdieing the first, second and fourth and getting an eagle 3 at the long eighth in a five-under 30 to the turn. The Banchory man bogeyed the 10th and that certainly took the wind out of his sails. He was becalmed from the 11th to the 18th and came home in one-over 35. Lockhart shot a 66 for 133, which was a good effort, considering he has just come back from his honeymoon, on which he did not take his golf clubs! Hutcheon and Lockhart each earned £975. Henderson was the man they all had to beat on the second day but his one-shot overnight advantage from Tain vanished at his very first hole at Brora. Having driven to the bottom of the slope up to the plateau green, the Aberdonian elected to putt from there ... but he did not it hard enough and the ball rolled back to his feet. Henderson then tried a chip ... and again the ball rolled back down the slope to his feet. Finally on in four shots, he two-putted for a double-bogey 6 and it was all uphill after that. A birdie at the long eighth got him out in one-over 36 but a bogey at the 10th while up ahead Patrick was forging clear put the writing on the wall for Henderson. He did birdie the 12th and 16th for 33 home and a level par 69.  Peterculter assistant Ross McConnachie, in the title hunt with a first-round 67, required 10 more shots to negotiate Brora's links without a double bogey but also without a single birdie. Still, he will have learned from the experience. Remember the name. We could be hearing it again. SCROLL DOWN FOR ALL THE FINAL TOTALS