Scottish boys' championship: Day 1 

Summary and pictures from misty Murcar

 

 

 Images: Kenny Smith

By ED HODGE 
 Scottish Golf PR and Media Manager.

Top seed Sandy Scott and local hopeful Michael Lawrie drew on their battling qualities to survive scares and be among the early winners after the first round of the Scottish Boys’ Amateur Championship at Murcar Links.
On a damp, grey day in the north east, there were still many bright moments as the nation’s leading young male players began their quest for glory in the Under-18 flagship event.
Scott, along with Inverness’ Rory Franssen, is being hotly tipped for success over the venue that hosted Paul Lawrie’s European Tour matchplay event last season – but the 17-year-old had to dig deep to maintain a favourites’ tag.
Out early in the third game of the day, reigning Boys Order of Merit champion Scott had built a two-hole lead by the 14^th, only to then knock his drive out of bounds at the next and give hope to his opponent, Fifer Greg Cessford from Balbirnie Park.

 View results from the Scottish Boys

Conditions were difficult on day one

However, Nairn’s Scott kept his cool to triumph 2&1 as the Scotland Boys’ international seeks to add the matchplay crown to the strokeplay title he won last summer.
“Match play can be pot luck so I will take each match as it comes,” admitted Scott, who heads for college at Texas in the summer. “I guess, being the first seed, there is a little expectation, but I’m just looking to beat the guy in front of me. My previous best in the Scottish Boys is the third round from my four appearances, so I’m looking to improve.”
Behind Scott, the Lawrie-Thomas Boyd match up drew a healthy crowd, with two famous names among them. Proud dads, former Open champion Paul, and ex-Scotland football defender, Tom, watched on as their offspring put them through the mill.
There was never more than a hole in it, as four-handicapper Boyd – a useful footballer himself who was on the books of Hamilton – gave local Deeside lad Lawrie a real fright when he lead by a hole going up the last.
Scratch player Lawrie, though, showed incredible resolve to strike a wedge to three feet at the last and then conjure another superb birdie at the 19^th to progress.
“It was nip and tuck, it’s never nice to lose on the first extra hole,” said Boyd Jnr, making his first appearance in a national championship. “My dad said to me ‘have fun and enjoy it’, and it was nice to play in front of an Open champion. It’s not often that happens.”

West Lothian’s Andrew Benson 

Tom Boyd, the 72-capped ex-Celtic and Motherwell player, added: “It was much more nerve wracking watching Thomas play, than playing in front of 60,000 at Celtic Park. It was very difficult, especially when you can’t coach or shout abuse, like I used to take!
“It was a great game, and it was good that Thomas showed his ability.  In the end, Michael’s quality came through, getting back-to-back birdies on 18 and 19.”
Lawrie Jnr, who played in his first Scottish Boys at Murcar in 2012, added: “Thomas is a really good player, who hit some nice shots and got it round well. I’d love to go past the quarter-finals that I reached last year (at Dunbar), and I’ve played Murcar many times, as a lot of junior north east golf has been played there.”
Two-time Ryder Cup man Paul added: “It’s not great walking round as a parent. It’s nerve wracking. I went through all this with (older son) Craig, and it doesn’t get any easier. When you are up against it, one down playing the last, and then finish birdie birdie to turn it round, that’s proper matchplay.”
Elsewhere, last year’s runner-up, Ross Callan from Bathgate, suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Dunbar’s Connor Wilson, but seeds Darren Howie (Peebles), seeking to emulate his brother, Craig, the 2012 winner, and Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick Dunskey) were among those to progress.
There were also some notable big wins, as Fintan McKenna, from the neighbouring Royal Aberdeen course, triumphed 7&6 against Shaun Wilson from Hazlehead, while Inverness’ Lewis Fraser thumped Logan Millar (Downfield) 8 and 7.