SAM LOCKE RUNNER-UP IN STROKE PLAY, THEN MATCH-PLAY

  North-east District officials (left to right) Willie Donald, president Jim Hunter and secretary George Young (red shirt) flank the Under-18 boys finalists Sam Locke (left) and Stephen Roger (blue shirt).  Pictures by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

NE UNDER-18 BOYS' GOLF TITLE

DOUBLE FOR STEPHEN ROGER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Stephen Roger, 16-year-old Cruden Bay Golf Club junior member, completed a title double when he beat 15-year-old Sam Locke (Banchory) 3 and 2 at Inverurie Golf Club in the final of the Paul Lawrie Foundation North-east District Under-18 boys' match-play championship today (Tuesday)

Roger won the  district's 36-hole boys' stroke-play championship over the same course on Monday when Locke won the Under-16 boys' stroke title and was runner-up in the Under-18s' section.
Locke was two after seven holes in the final but that was as good as it got for the 15-year-old stepson of Andrew Locke, Paul Lawrie's swing coach.

The next four holes changed the course of the match. Roger (pictured left) won the eighth, where his opponent lost a ball off the tee, the 10th and 11th, all with pars, to take the lead for the first time.

Locke, pictured right, lost his momentum and never won another hole. He went two down at the 13th - halved the 15th in birdie 2s - and Roger won the 16th for a 3 and 2 victory.
Both Roger and Locke are young enough to play in the district Under-18 boys' championships for two or three years to come and they could dominate the events.

      Left to right: Paul Chalmers, Jonathan Bell, NE District president Jim Hunter, Ellis Gray.

Jonathan Bell, 13-year-old Royal Aberdeen GC junior, won the PLF North-east District Boys' Under-14s title over one round at Inverurie today. He shot a scratch 73 to win by one  stroke from Paul Chalmers (Duff House Royal) with another Banff boy, Ellis Gray,third with a 78.

The Under-14s handicap title was won by Liam Waldron (Kintore) with a net 67 off 12.

The Under-12 award went to Finlay McKay (Cullen) with a net 75 off 20.

PAUL LAWRIE FOUNDATION NORTH-EAST DISTRICT UNDER-18 BOYS MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Inverurie Golf Club

Semi-finals - S Roger (Cruden Bay) bt C Duffton (Torphins) 6 and 5, S Locke (Banchory) bt C Morrison (Inverurie) 1 hole.

Final - Roger bt Locke 3 and 2. 

UNDER-14 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP

SCRATCH

Par 69 CSS 68

73 J Bell (Royal Aberdeen).

74 P Chalmers (Duff House Royal)

78 E Gray (Duff House Royal)

79 E Ross (Fraserburgh), L Waldron (Kintore)

81 K Duncan (Keith), I McKay (Strathlene)

82 F Smith junior (McDonald Ellon)

84 G Pirie (Hazlehead)

85 E Barbour (Fraserburgh)

86 C Gray (Cruden Bay)

88 J Seatter (McDonald Ellon)

90 B Smith (Cruden Bay)

92 R Stewart (Oldmeldrum)

95 F McKay (Cullen)

103 L Strath (Hazlehead).

LEADING HANDICAP

67 L Waldron (Kintore) (12)

69 E Barbour (Fraserburgh) (16)

70 F Smith junior (McDonald Ellon) (12) 70.

UNDER-12s

HANDICAP

75 F McKay (Cullen) (20)