GRAEME ROBERTSON WINS BATTLE TROPHY DESPITE NINE-OVER-PAR START

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com Glenbervie's Graeme Robertson, who had started the tournament with a lacklustre round of nine-over-par 81, covered his next 54 holes in six under par to win the Battle Trophy SGU Order of Merit tournament in an exciting finish over the Craighead Links at Crail Golfing Society today. Robertson added scores of 69, 72 and 69 for a final total of three-over-par 291 in conditions which were very windy at times over the weekend. Scottish youths champion Ewan Scott (St Andrews), the long-time leader, tied for second place with Michael Daily (Erskine), a shot behind Robertson. Robertson made a flying start to his final round, birdieing the first, fourth and ninth to be out in 34. Further birdies at the 10th and 17th were cancelled out by bogeys at the 13 and 18th - but a 69, when he had to produce it to win, was great golf under pressure. Michael Daily moved into the title picture after opening rounds of 77 and 76 with a third-round 68, the lowest of the tournament. A closing 71, which included an eagle at the 15th after back to back bogeys at the 13th and 14th, saw him finish just one short of forcing a play-off. Ewan Scott's grip on the leadership, two shots ahead at halfway and four clear with a round to go, weakened with double bogeys at the seventh and 14th. A solitary birdie on the back nine on 13 was not enough to compensate for further bogeys on 11 and 17. So he finished with a score of 76 and total of 292 for joint second place, which he would probably have accepted if offered before the start of the turnament but, as events transpired, it was a disappointing finish for one of Scotland's leading young prospects. Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) finished joint fifth on 294 but only after the final drama of the day. McDonald went to the organisers when he was not happy with the final round score of 78 that had been posted opposite his name on the official leaderboard. It transpired that McDonald had not exchanged scorecards with playing partner Daniel Kay and their figures were on the "wrong" cards. Thanks to the R and A's rule change after a similar incident featuring Mark Roe and Jesper Parnevik at an Open a few years back, Jack's final round score of 70 was therefore accepted and he jumped up the leaderboard to pick up a valuable voucher and WAGR points.   FINAL TOTALS  Par 288 (4x72) CSS 77 76 75 75 291 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) 81 69 72 69.  292 Michael Daily (Erskine) 77 76 68 71, Ewan Scott (St Andrews) 74 69 73 76. 293 Scott Borrowman (Dollar) 77 75 70 71.  294 Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) 73 75 76 70, Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe) 71 76 73 74. 295 David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) 77 71 77 70, Fraser McKenna (Balmore) 76 73 71 75.  296 Neil Henderson (Glen) 77 71 77 71, Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 75 75 73 73, William Bowe (Workington 73 71 77 75. 297 Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 71 78 73 75. 299 Kevin Duncan (Cruden Bay) 73 78 76 72.  300 Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting Bay) 73 79 77 71, Alan Sutherland (Ladybank) 73 73 77 77.  301 Benn McLeod (Musselburgh) 79 75 75 72, Craig Ross (Kirkhill) 72 77 76 76, Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 75 77 72 77, Cormac Sharvin (Stirling Univ) 75 75 73 78, Graham J Gordon (Newmachar) 73 77 72 79. 302 Jamie Savage (Cawder) 77 74 77 74, Sam Binning (Ranfurly Castle) 76 75 75 76.  304 Steven McEwan (Loudon Gowf) 75 82 72 75, Daniel Kay (Dunbar) 74 74 78 78. 305 Steven Maxwell (Windyhill) 78 76 76 75, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar) 83 73 73 76, Craig Chalmers (Cawder) 81 73 74 77.  306 Darren Watson (Peterhead) 76 81 76 73, Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) 76 78 77 75, Fraser Moore (Glenbervie) 71 81 79 75, Will Bremner (Edzell) 76 77 77 76, Ross Noon (Craigielaw) 79 76 74 77.  309 Patrick Spraggs (Stowmarket) 77 75 78 79, Gordon Stevenson (Whitecraigs) 76 78 75 80. 310 Paul Gault (Westerwood) 77 75 84 74, Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm) 80 77 74 79.  313 John Duff (Newmachar) 75 82 77 79, Colin Baird (Bothwell Castle) 77 79 74 83, Chris Lawton (Falkirk Tryst) 73 82 74 84.  314 David Morrison (Duff House Royal) 82 75 76 81.  318 Bryan Fotheringhham (Inverness) 77 77 83 81.