RISING STAR GREG McBAIN WINS EDZELL PRO-AM

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Aberdeen-based Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) scored his third win of the season - his first outright success - in today's (Sunday) Edzell pro-am.

McBain, 29, followed up shared successes at Bishopbriggs and Buchanan Castle with a five-under-par 66 to win the £916 prize ahead of Stephen Gray (Hayston), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) and Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) who tied for second place on 67 and earned £565 each.

Former Newmachar Golf Club member McBain had a bogey-free card with birdies at the first, seventh, long ninth, 13th and long 18th. This win boosts his Tartan Tour earnngs from 14 events this season to £6,238.

It was his sixth top five finish - definitely a rising star on the Scottish pro circuit. He won last year's Paul Lawrie Invitational at Deeside and finished 14th on the Order of Merit. The way he's going in 2013, Greg will certainly make the top 10 by the end of this season, very possibly breaking into the top five.

Gray and Fox both had five birdies but one bogey while McKechnie had four birdies and no bogeys.

LEADING PRO SCORES

Par 71

66 Greg McBain (Gamola Golf) £916.

67 Stephen Gray (Hayston), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) £565 each.

68 David Patrick (Kingsfield GR), Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs GR) £302 each.

69 Greig Hutcheon (Banchory), Chris Kelly (Cawder) £220 each.

70 James McKinnon (Irvine) £174

71 Craig Ronald (Carluke) £155.

72 Craig Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst), Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) £132 each.

73 Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy), Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) £114 each.

74 Scott Henderson (Kings Links), Alastair Webster (Edzell) £96 each.

75 Christopher Currie (Caldwell) £82.

76 James McGhee (unatt), Graeme Brown (Montrose Links) £68 each.

79 Mark King (Kingsfield GR) £55.

80 Michael Mackenzie (Edzell).

83 Brian Mason (Callaway Golf).

Greig Hutcheon (Banchory) led the Edzell Ladies team to victory in the pro-am event with an 18-under-par  net total of 124, a score matched by the teams who had Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) and Alastair Webster (Edzell) as their pros. A card countback gave the verdict to Greig and the Edzell Ladies who were represented by Jane Tough (handicap 4), Anne Middleton (handicap 13) and Fiona Black (handicap 22).