WILLIE PARK ANNIVERSARY GOLF SUCCESS

 Lionel Freedman, organiser of the Willie Park Anniversary Tournament,
and Perry Somers from Australia, winner of the hickory division

Last weekend there were two days of golf over the Old Links to celebrate anniversary of the winning of the 150th Open Championship by Willie Park Sr. Saturday’s competition saw around eighty players battling it out with both hickory and modern clubs in a number of different divisions. The conditions of the day, though fine, were cold and blustery.
The men’s scratch prize was won by Christopher Higgins of the Musselburgh Club who scored 72. The ladies scratch prize was won by Ruth Carroll, also from the Musselburgh Club with 80. The hickory scratch was won by Perry Somers from Australia with 82.
The handicap prizes were won by Richard Mackie, Strathaven, with a net 70 and Marion Bell of Musselburgh Links Ladies carded a net 82. The first hickory handicap prize went to John Still of Bruntsfield with 73.
Two juniors figured in the prizes with Oliver Duffy and Catherine Small, both of Craigielaw, winning scratch prizes finishing second and third in their respective divisions.The prizes were awarded at the Gala Dinner in the Brunton Hall where the main speakers were Alex Hay, Mungo Park and David Kirkwood. Among those present were Sheena Richardson, Provost, Irene Tait, Chairperson of Musselburgh & Inveresk Community Council and the organisers, Alan Hay, Vice Chairman, Councillor John Caldwell and Lionel Freedman, Chairman of World Hickory. The evening was a great success and over 160 attended.
Having been treated to some excellent golf in difficult conditions on Saturday, ten amateurs qualified to join ten of our local young professionals in a team competition on the following day. The conditions were, if anything, more difficult than the day before but the Old Links was privileged to see some tremendous golf, where the winner of the Professional individual prize, Sean McAllister of Craigielaw scored a 5 under par 63. In second place was Elliot Saltman, Archerfield with 67 and third was Chris Russell, RAW Golf Design with 69. The Pro-am team prizes went to Sean McAllister and Douglas Harris (Kilspindie) with 61. Second was Chris Russell and Malcolm Roberts (Duddingston) 65 and third went to Chris Kelly and David Kirkwood (Gullane) with 66. Perry Somers from Australia, again playing with hickories, scored 77. Willie Park would have been proud of the calibre of golf played by the young professionals celebrating his historic win.