BORROWMAN BIDS TO CLINCH SGU ORDER OF MERIT TITLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE SGU

Scott Borrowman, a member of Scotland’s winning Home Internationals team, will tomorrow bid to cap a hugely consistent season by winning the 2012 SGU Order of Merit.

 

The 25-year-old from Dollar heads the standings going into the final event of the Men’s season, the South East District Championship at Longniddry in East Lothian.

 

It’s incredibly tight at the top with a number of players still in the frame for overall merit success, but Borrowman has the edge.

 

The Clackmannanshire player won the Scottish Youths Stroke Play at Erskine in 2007, but is now on the verge of putting a disappointing two years behind him with his biggest individual success in the amateur ranks.

 

Having finished 24th in the standings last year, Borrowman has displayed a consistency of performance these past months to reach the top.

 

Although a victory has eluded him, Borrowman has posted six top-10 results in 11 events. Highlights have included a second-place finish behind Matthew Clark at the Newlands Trophy and third spot at both the Leven Gold Medal and the East of Scotland Stroke Play.

 

Borrowman’s displays saw him earn a first-ever call-up to Scotland’s Home Internationals side at Gailes Links and he contributed one-and-a-half points as the host nation claimed victory for the first time since 2006.

 

“I’ve not had a win which I’m desperate to get – it would top of a good season,” Borrowman said. “If I play well this weekend then the rankings will take care of themselves.

 

“I’ve had two poor years really, it’s not been much fun, but I started working with Gregor Monks (Scottish Golf National Academy Coach (Central)) at Brucefields just over a year ago and it’s starting to pay off. I’ve not reached where I want to be but we’re heading in the right direction. I’m going to keep working hard this winter.”

Ross Bell (Downfield) and Clark (Kilmacolm) were also debutants in the Scots’ Home Internationals side and they have designs on merit success too, sitting second and third in the current standings respectively. Indeed, Borrowman is only ahead of Bell by 17.00 points, with Clark 32.00 adrift of the leader.

 

Bell has also impressed in 2012, leading the Carrick Neill Scottish Stroke Play into the final round only to fall away at Kilmarnock (Barassie). Bell posted his best finish at the Sutherland Chalice, finishing runner-up to James Ross of Royal Burgess.

 

Clark, as well as winning the Newlands title, tied fourth in the Craigmillar Park Open and The Battle Trophy at the start of the season, as well as coming runner-up at The Tennant Cup behind Liam Johnston of Dumfries and County.

 

“We are all good friends and have been chasing each other this season, so it’s been fun,” added Borrowman. “We all wanted to get into the Home Internationals team and made it. Now we are chasing the merit title.”

 

Michael Daily from Erskine and Graham Gordon (Newmachar) are fourth and fifth in the merit rankings and also still have an outside chance of overall success.

 

Daily has posted three top-three finishes and five top-10s in all, while 2003 Scottish Amateur champion Gordon has also achieved five top-10 results, including back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Leven Gold Medal and North East District Open Championship.

 

The top five players on the Order of Merit, all of whom are playing at Longniddry, are seeking to emulate last year’s winner from Lundin, James White. In a two-horse race during 2011, White edged out Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson in the final standings.

 

Played this weekend, the South East District Championship is a 72-hole event with a 36-hole cut for the top 30 and ties. Previous winners include former Amateur champions Stuart Wilson and Gordon Sherry.

 

>> Click here for the current SGU Men’s Order of Merit rankings

 

Ed Hodge

SGU PR & Media Executive