JACK DOHERTY TOP SCOTS EARNER IN RAIN-HIT ROWALLAN CASTLE OPEN

Jack Doherty (North Gailes) earned the biggest cheque of the seven Scots who survived the first-round cut in the rain-shortened Rowallan Castle OpenF PGA EuroPro Tour event at the Ayrshire venue.
Doherty had rounds of 69 and 70 for a three-under-par total of 139 which gave him a cheque for £1,033.
He finished three shots behind a leading trio on six-under 136. Winner of the £10,000 prize after a sudden-death play-off was Welshman Mark Laskey (Brocket Hall) (63-73). Another Welshman, Oliver Farr (Worcester) (67-79) and Irishman Tim Rice (Limerick (65-71) shared second place and received £3,750 each.
Paul Shields (Kirkhill) (70-73), Elliot Saltman (Archerfield Links) (68-75) and Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills) (67-76) tied for 16th place on 143 and earned £422 each.
Shaun McAllister (Craigielaw) scocred 71-73 for 144 and a share of 23rd place for which the pay-out was £319.
Paul Doherty (Vale Hotel) earned £232 for joint 40th position on 146 (66-80) and Malcolm Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) shared 46th place on 147 (72-75) and earned £215.

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Welshman beats Rice and Farr after trio finish six under

Mark Laskey beat Tim Rice and Oliver Farr in a play-off to win the Rowallan Castle Open on the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour, after all three finished the tournament six under par.

After no play was possible on day two, the tournament was reduced to 36 holes with only the top 50 plus ties playing the final round.

Laskey (Brocket Hall) started the day two ahead on eight under and at one point had a four-stroke lead on ten under. However, bogeys at nine and ten were followed by a triple at the 11^th and Rice (Limerick), who to that point had played his final round to par, then lead on six under and extended his advantage with a birdie at 12.

Farr (Worcester Golf & Country Club) quickly reduced Rice’s lead to one with consecutive birdies from 13 to 15. Laskey ensured the pressure remained on Irishman Rice with a birdie at 15, and though both bogeyed the 16^th a birdie on 17 saw Laskey reclaim a share of the lead, with Farr now in the clubhouse on six under.

With the trio all tied for the lead they headed to the 18^th tee for the play off, which took three plays of the same hole to complete. Farr dropped out when he bogeyed the second play-off hole and when Rice did the same on the following play, Laskey was crowned Rowallan Castle Open champion 2013. He wins £10,000, a brand new Motocaddy trolley and now leads the 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour Order of Merit.

“It is great to get my first 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour win,” he said. “It has been a long time coming so it is a bit of a hurdle I have finally jumped.

“When I lead by four I wasn’t thinking too far ahead but I was playing nicely and I was trying to push on and make birdies. I made a couple of sloppy mistakes but managed to keep my head together.

“It was definitely a lot harder today. Left to right winds are something I need to work on and that is where I messed up.

“I knew I was playing well enough and putting well. There are some tough holes to finish but I kept fighting and got into the play off. I haven’t been putting well this year so it was nice to putt well when I needed to.”

A two-hour highlights package of the event will be broadcast on Sky Sports HD at 8pm on Tuesday, August 13, repeated on Wednesday, August 14. The next 888poker.com PGA EuroPro Tour event is the MarHall.com Scottish Classic, which takes place at Mar Hall Golf Club August 7-9.

ENDS