STEPHEN GRAY WINS SPEY VALLEY 36 HOLE CHALLENGE

STEPHEN GRAY ... pipped Greig Hutcheon and Greg McBain    By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com In the final analysis it was Stephen Gray's hole in one at the 202yd 16th in the first round that won him the Spey Valley 36-hole Challenge at the Aviemore course today (Wed). The Hayston man added a four-under 68 to his opening 73 and a three-under 141 aggregate earned him the £1,750 first prize by a single shot from joint runners-up Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) (73-69) and Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) (73-69), both picking up £1,125 for their two days' work. Gray eagled the long third and birdied two other par-5s, the fifth and 13th. His other birdie came at the par-4 ninth in an outward 33. And so the Hutcheon-Hayston rivalry for the top spots on the Tartan Tour money table and Order of Merit is set to continue in the new season. Hutch was level par for the final day with five to play but moved up a gear when he had to with birdies at the 14th, short 16th and 17th for 33 home. Aberdeen-based McBain was five under par for the first seven holes in his second round with a birdie at the first, and eagle 3 at the third, a birdie 2 at the fourth and a birdie 3 at the seventh. Out in 32, with a bogey at the eighth, McBain was ahead of Gray and Hutcheon at that point and favourite to stay there but he let the chance slip away with a bogey at the 11th and seven straight pars to finish LEADING FINAL TOTALS Par 144 (2x72) 141 S Gray (Hayston) 73 68 (£1,750). 142 Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) 73 69, Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) 73 69 (£1,125 each). 144 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) 74 70, Stewart Savatge (Dalmuir) 73 71, Andrew Oldcorn (Kings Acre) 72 72 (£633 each). 145 James McKinnon (Irvine) 72 73 (£450). 146 David Orr (Mearns Castle) 72 74 (£400). 147 John Henry (Clydebank & Dist) 79 68, Chris Kelly (Cawder) 75 72, Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst) 74 73, Paul Robinson (Largs) 74 73, Craig Ronald (Carluke) 73 74 (£301 each). 148 Christopher Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey) 76 72, Christopher Russell (RAW Golf Design) 76 72, Stephen Lamb (Macdonald Cardrona) 76 72, Scott Herald (Mearns Castle) 77 71, Michael Patterson (Kilmacolm) 77 71 (£181 each). 149 Ian TYaylor (Drumpellier) 77 72, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 75 74, Kenny Hutton(Downfield) 73 76, David Patrick (Elie SC) 73 76 (£127 each). 150 Ken Campbell (Machrihanish) 76 74 (£115). 152 Fraser Cromarty (Castle Stuart) 74 78 (£110). 153 Grant Smith (Gleneagles) 75 78, Mark King (Kingsfield) 75 78, Christopher Currie (Caldwell) 80 73, Colin Gillies (Kingsfield) 78 75, Jonathan Lomas (Caprngton) 75 78, Fraser Dunlop (Gleneagles) 73 80, Stuart Morrison (Tain) 74 79 (£15 each). 154 James Erksine (Portpatrick Dunskey) 82 72, Conor O'Neil (Pollok) (am) 80 74, Fraser Robertson(Elie SC) 78 76, David Roger (Windyhill) 74 80, Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) 75 79. 155 Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 83 72, Gary McFarlane (Clober) 82 73, Gareth Hardy (Belleisle) 79 76, Tom Dingwall (Nairn Dubar) 77 78. 156 Graham Forbes (unatt) 82 74, Stephen McAllister (Renaissance) 82 74, Craig Knowles (Panmure0 77 79, Keir McNicoll (Gullane) 77 79, Christopher Tierney (Affordable Golf) 77 79. 157 Colin Robinson (Prestonfield) 80 77, Paul Brookes (Pitreavie) 78 79. 158 Malcolm Murray (Brora) 78 80. 159 Peter Smith (Deeside) 84 75, Iain Stoddart (Uphall) 84 75, Jonathan Cliff (Murrayfield) 82 77, Patrick Walker (Ballumbie Castle) 81 78, Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) 81 78, Craig Everett (Caldwell) 80 79, Andrew Rollo (Nairn Dunbar) 79 80, Paul Wilson (Cawder) 78 81. 160 Jordan Gallagher (Douglas Park) 80 80, Malcolm Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) 77 83, Murray Urquhart (Spey Valley) 76 84, Ross McConnachie (Peterculter) 81 79. 161 Les McLaughlin (Whitecraigs) 81 80, Calum Lawson (unatt) 86 75, Ian Brown (Newent) 78 83, Robert Rushford (Swanston New) 84 77, David McCallum (Gllsphere) 83 78. 162 James Dick (Duddingston) 81 81, Matthew Laughtland (Bishopbriggs) 80 82, Craig Gordon (Edinburgh Golf Centre) 79 83. 163 Christopher McMaster (Panmure) 83 80, Lewis Burnett (Mearns Castle) 82 81, Andrew Munro (Musselburgh) 79 84. 164 M Mackenzie (Edzell) 84 80, R Dixon (Renaissance) 82 82, J Fraser (unatt) 82 82, M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 80 84. 165 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) 87 78, K McNiven (Gleneagles) 83 82. 166 J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) 80 86. 167 E Walker (Burntisland) 81 865 168 F Clarke (Newmachar) 84 84 169 R Holt (unatt) 89 80. 172 E Hogarth (Peebles) 86 86. Disqualified - R Arnott (Bishopbriggs). Retired - S Henderson (Kings Links), A Purdie (Kignsbarns).