Good Crieff! Newmachar's McBain and Chan win


a trip to Lombard Trophy Final on Algarve

By COLIN FARQUHARSON


Newmachar's recently appointed head club professional Greg McBain and amateur member Andrew Chan, pictured above by courtesy of GettyImages (c), earned themselves a trip to the Algarve in September by winning the Lombard Trophy Scottish Qualifier 2 at Crieff Golf Club today.
McBain also won £450 for teaming up with Chan to top the big field with an excellent score if eight-under-par 63.
Only the winners qualify from the regional events to play in the Grand Final at Pestana Vila Sol, Vilamoura on the Algarve on September 21-22.
Chan, who us 34 years old, plays off two of a handicap and is a technical engineer in the oil and gas industry
McBain and Chan, by birdieing the 18th hole,  finished one stroke ahead of three pairs - Dean Vanet and Darren Reid (Peterculter), Gordon Stewart and George Thomson (Cawder) and Christopher McMaster and Connor Galbraith (Downfield). The three pros received £325 each.


+Scroll down for the official news release.


LEADING SCORES
par 71.
QUALIFIERS
(pros' names followed by amateurs)
63 G McBain (£450) and A Chan (Newmachar).
DID NOT QUALIFY
64 D Vannet (£325) and D Reid (Banchory), G Stewart (£325) and G Thomson (Cawder), Christopher McMaster (£325) and C Galbraith (Downfield).
65 I Graham (£225) and P McInally (Crow Wood).
66 I Taylor (£137) and G Palethorpe (Drumpellier), K Monaghan (£137) and M Orr (Linlithgow), S Wilson (£137) and A Handsley (Portlethen).
67 P Wytrazek and J Murie jun (Burntisland), R Farrell and D MacPherson (Cardross), R McConnachie and L Buck (Peterculter),
M Buirt and K Dean (Williamwood), G Law and H McLaughlan (Uphall).
68 G King and C Climson (Easter Moffat), G Forbes and N K Parker (Murcar Links), C Kelly and C MacCallum (Stirling), I Darroch and M Wilson (West Kilbride).
69 A Tait and G Stachini (Deer Park), S Dunsmuir and B Stewart (Falkirk Tryst), S Thomson and B Muir (Haddington),  D Torrance and C Reid (Nairn Dunbar), A Erskine and D Cowan (Ratho Park), S Morrison and G Mackintosh (Tain).

NEWS RELEASE

CHAN RISES TO THE OCCASION AS NEWMACHAR EDGE IT

Aberdeen amateur Andy Chan admitted he ‘loved’ his first taste of tournament-style golf after reaching Lombard Trophy Final in thrilling fashion. Chan and Newmachar Golf Club head professional Greg McBain paired up for the qualifying held at Crieff Golf Club and finished the day booking a trip to Portugal. They posted an eight under par round of 63 and won by one shot thanks to a crucial birdie at the 18th hole. That saw them edge Dean Vannet and Darren Reid, of Banchory Golf Club, Gordon Stewart and George Thomson (Cawder Golf Club) and Chris McMaster and   Connor Galbreth (Downfield Golf Club) into joint second spot. The Newmachar duo will now head to the Algarve for the £41,000, Coca-Cola and Pestana Resorts, supported National Pro-Am grand final which will be played at the Vila Sol resort between September 21-22. It is a venue that Chan, who plays off a handicap of two, has played in the past - and he is delighted to be returning to the venue after a winning performance at the Perth and Kinross course. “I loved it, it was like a little taster of tournament golf which I’ve never been involved in before,” said the 34 year old technical engineer in the oil and gas industry. “It was a great experience, that was my first PGA event. I've been playing since I was a kid but I joined Newmachar four seasons ago now and I’m really enjoying it. “This has been an up and down season but we felt we could be up there at Crieff if we could dovetail well - if I had a bad one it wouldn’t matter so much. That’s how it turned out. “I’ve been to some of the Portugal courses including Vila Sol, but that was probably 10 years ago now so it’ll have changed a bit.” McBain admitted he had no idea the final hole had so much riding on it. “I didn’t know what the scores were when we came to the 18th, it was only as we were going off that I saw eight under par was leading, then we had to wait to see if it was good enough and it was,” he said. “We had a strong front nine but we needed to sneak that birdie in at the end which was good for us.” McBain has only been head professional for a few months and this was his first attempt at reaching the Lombard Trophy Final. “It’s not a bad way to introduce yourself! But it’s also great for the club and raises our profile,” he added. “I’ve been at Newmachar for about two years now but the head pro’s job came up about three months ago.”

to view all the scores and scorecards
CLICK HERE