GAVIN HAY SCORES FIRST USA WIN IN FINAL YEAR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON  Colin@scottishgolfview.com Gavin Hay, a 21-year-old member at both Grantown-on-Spey and Whitecraigs, Glasgow golf clubs and a fourth-year student at Carson-Newman University, Tennessee, has scored his first win on the US college circuit - only five days after he finished second in another tournament. Hay shot rounds of 67 and 70 for a five-under-par total of 137 to head a field of 96 players by two strokes in the Tusculum Invitational at Link Hills Country Club, Greeneville, Tennessee. Hay won the Grantown on Spey four-day open last summer and  previously won the North of Scotland and West of Scotland boys' match-play titles in the same year. He was a member of the North District team of four who won the Scottish area boys' championship. His father Gordon, a well-known competition in North events over the years, said: "Gavin is undecided about whether to return to Scotland or stay out in the States after he completes his four years at Carson-Newman University this spring but he is considering the EuroPro Tour as an option, if sponsorship is available to get him started." Hay's victory in the Tusculum Invitational was the first by a Carson-Newman student since 2009 and his two-round total of 137 is the second lowest in the university's golf programme history, one behind the 136 record set by Matthew Cram-Smith in 2002. Head coach John Minor said he's thrilled about Gavin's first college tournament win.  "Gavin played a solid two days of golf and had a great attitude that helped to grab that win," Minor said.  "It is not easy to win an individual golf tournament; most college golfers go through their career and never can get a win, so congratulations Gavin." Hay is certainly getting a lot of competitive golf. He will be back in action on Monday at the Bobcat Invitational in Eatonton, Georgia. MORE ON THE TUSCULUM INVITATIONAL Jamie Chapman (Lincoln Memorial University) finished joint ninth behind Gavin Hay with scores of 74 and 69. Jamie hails from Sussex. Jamie Reid, also a LMU student, from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire  finished T79 on 158 with scores of 74-84. Jamie is a freshman at Lincoln Memorial who won the team title with a total of 574. Runners-up were Milligan College (579) with Tusculum College (580) third and Carson-Newman (581) fourth of 16 teams.