EWAN SCOTT WINS GOLF DATA LAB SCOTTISH YOUTHS TITLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Ewan Scott from St Andrews is the new Golf Data Lab Scottish Youths (Under-21s) open amateur champion - four weeks after the disappointment of losing to Craig Howie in the final of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish boys championship at Murcar Links. The 16-year-old pupil - he will be 17 this coming week - at Madras College really made his winning move over the Ladybank, Fife course  with a bunch of late birdies for a four-under-par 67 in Saturday's second round which lifted him two shots clear of the field on 139. Sunday's wind and rain, which made a par round of 71 almost an impossibility, failed to blow Scott off course although he did drop shots early in his third round. . He maintained a Sunday lunchtime lead of two shots after a third-round 75 for 214 and a solid 74 to finish with for a four-over-par total of 288 saw him the champion by a three-shot margin. Runner-up was the top Blairgowrie prospect Bradley Neil who had a pair of 74s - very good golf in Sunday's conditions - to climb up the field while the leader's earlier challengers dropped back. The best rounds on Sunday were one-over-par 72s  and Kirkcaldy's Ryan Walsh claimed them both to surge up to joint third place alongside Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie), winner of the British Students' Tour title in Lancashire recently and before that the 2009 Scottish boys' open stroke-play title over the same Ladybank course. Walsh was on 149 after two rounds and made the cut with only one shot to spare. Musselburgh's Cameron Marr, who was Scott's closest challenge at the halfway stage on Saturday evening, dropped to a final placing of 13th with third and fourth round scores of 78 and 82 for 301. Defending champion Lyle McAlpine (Royal Dornoch) was eliminated at halfway after rounds of 78 and 75 for 153 - three too many. FROM THE SGU WEBSITE GOLF DATA LAB SCOTTISH YOUTHS CHAMPIONSHIP Ewan Scott defied the difficult conditions to go one better than the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys Championship and claim glory in the Golf Data Lab Youths Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Ladybank Golf Club. Ahead of turning 17 on Wednesday, the St Andrews teenager gave himself an early birthday present in the prestigious Under-21 national event, winning by three strokes from his SGU National Boys’ Squad team-mate Bradley Neil after 72 holes. Scott, who posted a four-over-par total of 288 in the testing weather of strong winds and driving rain, joins the likes of Stephen Gallacher, Martin Laird, Gregory Bourdy and Paul McGinley on the championship’s impressive roll of honour. The Madras College pupil, juggling his Higher exams with golf at present, was runner-up to Peebles’ Craig Howie at the Scottish Boys but has quickly atoned for any lingering disappointment from losing 7&6 at Murcar Links. Scott held a two-shot lead after the first 36 holes at Ladybank and looked set to extend his advantage only to drop three shots in the last five holes of his third round. Still holding a two-stroke advantage over Craig Ross and Jack McDonald going into the final round, Scott produced steady golf for the first 13 holes to take total control of the event. However, a triple bogey at the demanding par-4 14th, played straight into the teeth of the wind, gave the field hope, especially Neil, who was suddenly only two strokes behind. But Blairgowrie’s Neil, like Scott a former English Under-14 champion, dropped a shot at the final hole, while the leader regained his composure to par the last four holes and ease to his three-shot win. Scott said: “It’s great to win. After the rain delay on Friday, I came back on Saturday morning and didn’t have a bogey for a number of holes. I played really solid golf, nothing stupid. “It was brutal conditions today, some of the toughest weather I’ve played in wind-wise, it was swirling and it was hard to commit to a shot. “I took 7 at the 14th, but I knew I had a wee cushion. It made it a bit easier to take. That was my worst hole of the week, but you are always going to have one. “The win continues my great start to the season, as I’ve not really had a bad finish yet.” Neil, still aged only 16, was pleased with his efforts to finish seven-over and added: “It was tough due to the weather, but I’m still pretty happy. I can’t be disappointed. “Myself and Ewan are punching above our weight really at this level so it’s good for us both. “I’ve been playing well this season and have a bit of momentum. I’m striking the ball well.” Ayrshire teenager Jack McDonald, the Kilmarnock (Barassie) player who won the Scottish Boys’ Stroke-Play Championship over Ladybank in 2009, and Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) claimed the bronze medals at nine-over-par. The event was delayed due to heavy rain on Friday, but the superb efforts of the Ladybank greenkeeping team ensured the course remained in excellent condition. Ladybank GC, Fife FINAL TOTALS Par 284 (4x71) 288 Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 72 67 75 74 291 Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 71 72 74 74 293 Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) 78 71 72 72, Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 73 71 72 77 297 Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 70 72 74 81 298 Angus Carrick (Douglas Park) 71 74 77 76, Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen) 76 69 73 80 299 Connor Syme (Dumfries & Co) 74 74 77 74, Jamie Harrison (Rotherham) 72 72 78 77, Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 69 77 78 75, Cameron Mitchell (Lundin) 69 75 77 78, Greig Marchbank (Dumfries & Co) 70 74 78 77. 301 Cameron Marr (Mueeselburgh) 72 69 78 82. 302 Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) 78 70 76 78, Lawrence Allan (Alva) 73 76 76 77, Samuel Sloman (Taunton & Pickeridge) 74 74 75 79, Ryan Campbell (Falkirk) 77 71 77 77, Victor Lebeck (Sweden) 76 70 78 78. 303 Thomas White (Kinross) 72 71 78 82, Simon Fairburn (Torwoodlee) 71 72 82 78. 304 Kit Holmes (Hunstanton) 74 76 78 76, Jake Hogg (Duke's) 72 76 77 79. 305 Connar Cook (Caird Park) 71 77 80 77, Nigel Colbeck (Moor Allerton) 74 72 82 77 306 Martian Ducler (France) 73 76 76 81, Daniel McConnachie (Dumfries & Co) 77 72 75 82, Timothee Guin (France) 71 76 77 82, Mike Howard (Royal Birkdale) 75 73 76 82, Jamie Savage *Cawder( 73 75 80 78. 307 Greg Nicoll (Glenbervie) 75 73 83 76 308 Scott Wearing (Bishopbriggs) 74 75 76 83. 309 Gus Mottershead (Hampton Court Palace) 73 75 81 80. 310 Alasdair McDougall (St Andrews New) 77 73 81 79, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 75 71 81 83 311 Niall McMullen (Lochgelly) 76 72 77 86, Fraser Grant (Ralston) 75 73 82 81, Oliver Roberts (Hong Kong) 75 71 82 83 314 Gordon Munro (Fraserburgh) 78 71 81 84, Jamie Sutherland (Galgorm Castle) 77 69 84 84. 316 Nick Newbold (Kedleston Park) 75 73 86 82. MISSED THE CUT (150 and better qualified) 153 Lyle McAlpine (Royal Dornoch) 78 75. Retired: Daniel Phillimore (Manor House) 80 80 83 ret.