ADAM DUNTON WINS SE DISTRICT OPEN

ADAM DUNTON - Best season    Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency    Ellon's Adam Dunton capped his best ever season today by scoring his first win in the final SGU 72-hole Order of Merit tournament of the season - the South East District Open Championship at Longniddry.  Dunton, 22, who gained his first Scotland cap against South Africa but was overlooked for the Home Internationals, played well in the Aberdeen Asset Management Northern Open at Meldrum House and he carried on his good form at the Lothians venue. Three shots off the pace with 18 holes to go, McDonald Golf Club member Dunton came through to win with a one-over-par 69 for a final total of 277, five over par for four circuits of the par-68 course.  His earlier rounds were 69-67-72. James Hendrick (Pollok) who had made most of the running at the head of the field after opening with rounds of 69-67 for a three-stroke halfway advantage, finished second, two shots behind Dunton.  The 10th was the decisive hole in the final round. Dunton hole from about 100ft for a birdie while Hendrick missed frm 5ft and ran up a double bogey - a three-shot swing in favour of the Aberdeenshire player. Lundin's James White finished joint third with Anthony Blaney from Liberton. White was scuppered by a late double bogey and finished with a two-over-par 70 for 280 while Blaney surged up the leaderboard with a closing 67 for the same aggregate. +The last North-east player to win the South East District Championship was Cruden Bay's Craig Cassels who went on to gain Walker Cup honours before he turned pro for a short spell. FINAL TOTALS Par 272 (4x68) 277 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 69 67 72 69 279 James Hendrick (Pollok) 66 67 72 74 280 James White (Lundin) 68  69 73 70 , Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 69 72 72 67 282 Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 70 75 67 70, Michael Bacigallupo (Longniddry) 68 73 71 70 283 Ben McLeod (Musselburgh) 73 70 70 70, Shaun Gordon (Tantallon) 71 70 71 71 284 Neil Henderson (The Glen) 71 71 71 71 285 Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 69 69 75 72, Conor O'Neil (Pollook) 72 72 70 71, Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 71 72 6973, Jamie Savage (Cawder) 67 77 68 73 286 Paul Reilly (Lochwinnoch) 74 72 74 66, Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 72 72 68 74, Robert Carson (Marriott Dalmahoy) 71 72 70 73 287 Jordyn Rhind (Uphall) 72 72 73 70, Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 69 74 70 74. 288 Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) 72 71 72 73 289 Cameron Farrell (Cardross) 71 72 72 74, Chris Wood (North Berwick) 71 72 73 73 290 Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse) 71 73 73 73, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 72 75 70 73 291 Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 70 73 75 73, Calum Hill (Tantallon) 72 72 71 76, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 69 78 69 75 292 Richard Doherty (Bearsden) 77 69 70 76 293 Jonathan Mullany (Ralston) 74 69 76 74 297 Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 72 75 73 77 302 Varun Varadharajan (Royal Burgess) 72 72 80 78 NR Duncan Martin (Longniddry) 70 71 75 NR