Leader Connor Syme has nightmare final round of 84

Forrest beats McIntosh with birdie at first 

extra hole of Battle Trophy play-off

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Walker Cup player Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) won a play-off against former Newmachar amateur Euan McIntosh (Dubai) after long-time leader Connor Syme (Drumoig) let victory in the battle Trophy slip out of his grasp with a nightmare final round of 12-over-par 84 at Crail Golfing Society's Craighead Links today (Sunday).

Syme plummeted to a final placing of joint ninth on 299.

His collapse opened the door for a play-off between former Scottish amateur champion Forrest and 1992 Scottish assistant professionals champion Euan McIntosh from Newmachar, now reinstated as an amateur based at the Els Club, Dubai
Forrest, who will be 23 on June 19, and McIntosh who is 47,  tied on three-over-par 291 after the regulation 72 holes. Forrest had scores of 73, 72, 72 and 74; McIntosh 73, 70, 73 and 75.

Forrest bogeyed the 13th, 14th and 18th in his final round while McIntosh birdied the 13th and 16th but bogeyed the 14th and 17th.

Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County) finished third on 295 with three players tied for fourth on 296 - Gordon Munro (Fraserburgh), Jamie Stewart (Old Ranfurly) and James Wilson (Balmore).

In the play-off, Forrest won with a birdie at the first extra hole, the 10th. MacIntosh fluffed his drive, pitched to the back of the green, and three-putted.

Forrest almost drove the green, pitched to 6ft  and sank the winning putt.

 

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72). SSS 74. CSS 77 (r/o), 77, 77
291 G Forrest (Craigielaw) 73 72 72 74, E McIntosh (Dubai) 73 70 73 75 (Forrest won play-off with birdie at first extra hole).
295 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 77 72 70 76,
296 J Stewart (Old Ranfurly) 78 73 71 74, G Munro (Fraserburgh) 71 75 75 75, J A Wilson (Balmore) 76 70 76 74
297 E Wood (Crow Wood) 78 75 70 74.
298 G Robertson (Glenbervie) 79 72 72 75.
299 S Scott (Nairn) 78 70 71 80, C Syme (Drumoig) 71 70 74 84
300 C Low (Tantallon) 76 79 73 72, C Bruce (Duff House Royal) 78 77 71 74, K McClung (Wigtownshire) 76 77 77 70, M Watt (Inverallochy) 77 74 74 75, J Harling (Banchory) 72 77 73 78.
301 J Savage (Cawder) 75 77 75 74, F Davren (Williamwood) 71 77 79 74
303 G Burns (Williamwood) 80 73 74 76, J Wright (Forres) 77 77 76 73, M Napier (Turnhouse) 77 75 74 77, C Handy (South Moor) 78 71 78 76
304 C Fyfe (Cawder) 75 76 73 80
305 C Brechin (Portlethen) 79 76 72 78, K Godsman (Moray) 78 75 72 80, C MacLean (Balmore) 75 77 77 76, S Roger (Cruden Bay) 75 76 74 80, W Porter (Carnoustie) 76 74 78 77
306 C Pirie (Millport) 79 74 73 80, R Franssen (Inverness) 73 74 84 75, S Stewart (Clydebank and Dist) 78 71 82 75.
307 C Deerness (Harburn) 77 78 71 81, B MacLeod (Musselburgh) 78 74 78 77.
308 D Morrison (Duff House Royal) 75 76 84 73, J Bunch (Prestwick) 73 75 74 86, R Brydon (Bruntsfield Links) 75 73 83 77.
311 B A Kinsley (St Andrews) 82 72 75 82
312 A J Sutherland (Cupar) 79 75 75 83, J Shaw (Boat of Garten_) 72 80 79 81, G Greer (Carluke) 79 71 79 83
314 J J Lockie (Tantallon) 79 75 78 82
313 M Gray (North Berwick) 80 75 80 83 
No show: J Douglas (Leven Th) 77 78 80 - 

CHECK OUT THE SCORECARDS

CLICK HERE
................................................
scroll down for third-round totals
..............................................................
Syme's lead cut to one by two late double bogeys

Two late double bogeys cost overnight leader Connor Syme (Drumoig) a big lead going into the final round of the Battle Trophy at Crail Golfing Society, writes Colin Farquharson.
Syme had a double bogey 6 at the 16th and a double bogey 5 at the short 17th after birdies at the second, fourth, 10th and 15th had put him in a strong position to built up an almost unassailable lead.
But a 74 for a third-round tally of one-under-par 215 saw him lead by only one shot from Euan McIntosh (Els Club, Dubai) who had a73 this morning.
Walker Cup player Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) moved into third place with a 72 for 217 while young Sandy Scott from Nairn had a 71 for 219 and fourth place with 18 holes to go.
Scott could have been much closer to the pole position but for bogeys at the 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th.

ROUND 3 SUMMARY
From DAVID ROY, Crail GS Manager

The wind continues to blow here at Crail, with the early starters having the best of the conditions. One of the best scores of the morning was by Liam Johnston (Dumfries and County), who birdied 1, 4, 6, 8, 15 and 16 with one drop shot at 11 to reach -5 after 16.

Sadly, the venal par three 17^th was his undoing and a triple left him disappointed to finish -2 for the day and +3 for the tournament. 

Ed Wood (Crow Wood) had a sparkling four-under 33 for the front nine, birdieing 1, 7, 8 and 9. However, bogeys at 14 and 18 undid some of his good work for him to finish on 70 and +7 for the tournament. 

The leader, (Connor Syme (Drumoig) started well, birdieing 2 and 4 to be out in -2 but double bogeys at 16 and 17 saw him slip to a 74 and move him closer to the rest of the field. 

The closest challengers are Euan McIntosh (Els Club, Dubai) and Walker Cup man Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) whose birdies on 16 and 17 helped him recover from bogeys at 11  and 14 and leave him on +1 for the trounament, just two behind the leader. 

Syme’s playing partner for the final round, Euan McIntosh continues to play solid golf, with an even par outward nine helping him to a one over 73 and one behind with 18 holes to play.

 

ROUND 3 TOTALS
Par 216/SSS 74/CSS 77 (r/o), 77, 77
215 C Syme (Drumoig) 71 70 74
216 E McIntosh (Drumoig) 73 70 73
217 G Forrest (Craigielaw) 73 72 73
219 L Johnston (Dumfries and Co) 77 72 70, S Scott (Nairn) 78 70 71.
221 G Munro (Fraserburgh) 71 75 75.
222 J Stewart (Old Ranfurly) 78 73 71, J Harling (Banchory) 72 77 73, J A Wilson (Balmore) 76 70 76, J Bunch (Prestwick) 73 75 74
223 E Wood (Crow Wood) 78 75 70, G Robertson (Glenbervie) 79 72 72
224 C Fyfe (Cawder) 75 76 73
225 K Godsman (Moray) 78 75 72, M Watt (Inverallochy) 77 74 74, S Roger (Cruden Bay) 75 76 74
226 C Pirie (Millport) 79 74 73, C Bruce (Duff House Royal) 78 77 71, C Deerness (Harburn) 77 78 81, M Napier (Turnhouse) 77 75 74.
227 G Burns (Williamwood) 80 73 74, C Brechin (Portlethen) 79 76 71,  J Savage (Cawder) 75 77 75, C Handy (South Moor) 78 71 78, F Davren (Williamwood) 71 77 79.
228 C Low (Tantallon) 76 79 73, W Porter (Carnoustie) 76 74 78
229 B A Kinsley (St Andrews) 82 72 75, A J Sutherland (Cupar) 79 75 75, G Greer (Carluke) 79 71 79, C MacLean (Balmore) 75 77 77.
230 B MacLeod (Balmore) 78 74 78, J Wright (Forres) 77 77 76, K McClung (Wigtownshire) 76 77 77
231 J Shaw (Boat of Garten) 72 80 79, R Brydon (Bruntsfield Links) 75 73 83, R Franssen (Inverness) 73 74 84, S Stewart (Clydebank and Dist) 78 71 82.
232 J J Lockie  (Tantallon) 79 75 78
235 M Gray (North Berwick) 80 75 80, J Douglas (Leven Th) 77 78 80, D Morrison (Duff House Royal) 75 76 84.