SOUTH AFRICANS EDGE OUT SCOTS AS IT GOES DOWN TO LAST PUTT ON LAST GREEN

South Africa beat Scotland 9 1/2 to 8 1/2 in the Friendship Cup two-day men's amateur golf international at Prestwick Golf Club today. The Scots, who won a similar match during their seven-week trip to South Africa earlier this year, led 5-4 at the end of the first day but lost both sessions of play on Day 2.. The South Africans took the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 3 1/2 to 2 1/2. It was the tightest of matches that went right down to the last green on the last match to finish. If Paul Shields (Kirkhill) had been able to hole a 15pt birdie putt against Shaun Smith, the Scot would have won instead of halving his match. If his putt had dropped, the final scoreline would have been 8pt apeice. Scotland's double winners from the opening day, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) and James White (Lundin), had their 100 per cent records smashed in the foursomes. They both also lost in the afternoon singles. Scotland's most successful player was a back-in-form Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie). The Stirling student, third at last weekend's St Andrews Links Trophy, beat Jean-Paul Strydom 3 and 1 to give him a personal haul of  3½ points from a possible 4. Scotland debutant Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) lost all the matches he figured in but they were by narrow margins and the Aberdeenshire player will have gained considerably from his exposure to this level of international competition. Ian Rae, the SGU national coach, said:  "It's been a good match with a lot of good golf on show over the past two days. South Africa were a tough side so it's really good to play top level opposition in match play on links golf ahead of competing at Royal Troon and Glasgow Gailes in the British amateur championship next week."   MEN'S AMATEUR INTERNATIONAL MATCH Prestwick Golf Club, Ayrshire FINAL RESULT SCOTLAND 8 1/2, SOUTH AFRICA 9 1/2 Day 2 results SCOTLAND  3 1/2, SOUTH AFRICA 5 1/2 FOURSOMES (1-2) Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) and Paul Shields (Kirkhill) bt Drikus Bruyns and Gert Myburgh 3 and 2. Brian Soutar and Adam Dunton lost to Shaun Smith and Charles Du Plessis 2 and 1. Fraser McKenna and James White lost to Haydn Porteous and Jean-Paul Strydom 2 holes. SINGLES (2 1/2-3 1/2)   Soutar bt Bruyns 2 and 1 Robertson bt Strydom 3 and 1 Fraser McKenna lost to Porteous 3 and 2 Dunton lost to Myburgh 1 hole Shields halved with Smith White lost to Du Plessis 2 and 1