STEPHEN ROGER OUTCLASSES NORTH 

EAST DISTRICT OPEN FIELD

  Stephen Roger pictured in front of the tournament sponsors' banner with the championship trophy and also the trophy for being the highest placed North-east player.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Cruden Bay's rising star Stephen Roger won the Kings Links Golf Centre North-east District Open by the runaway margin of nine strokes at Portlethen over the weekend.

The 18-year-old, winner this season of the Scottish and North-east youths' titles, forged clear of the field with his "Sunday best," shooting rounds of 73, 70, 68 and 66 for an impressive 11-under-par total of 277.

Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) was level with Roger after 54 holes at five-under 211 but took 75 shots in the third round compared with Roger's 66

Stephen feels being a full-time amateur for the past year or so has brought his game on tremendously.

"I've gained a lot of experience from playing in the main open tournaments and it has definitely helped. But he is not going to jump into the professional ranks.

"I want to get as good as I can get as an amateur before I even think about going to Tour School."

Scottish boys' champion Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links) and Dunton  tied for second place on 286.

McIntosh shot 71, 75, 70 and 70. Dunton scored 68, 73, 70 and 75.

The CSS for the par 72 course was 73, 72, 72 and 72.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 288 (4x72) CSS 73 72 72 72

277 S Roger (Cruden Bay)73 70 68 66

286 Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links) 71 75 70 70, A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 68 73 70 75

287 B Murray (Portlethen) 71 69 78 69, A J Sutherland (Cupar) 72 68 73 74

289 A Fisher (Newmachar) 75 75 67 72, C Stephen (Aboyne) 72 73 72 72.

291 A Bews (Murcar Links) 78 73 68 72, K Mackay (Invernss) 75 72 74 70, J Shaw (Boat of Garten) 70 75 73 73, M Pennycott (Royal Burgess) 72 72 76 71

292 Marc Watt (Inverallochy) 76 74 73 69, F Milne (Banchory) 75 74 72 71, C Grant (Portlethen) 71 76 75 70, C Bruce (Duff House Royal) 73 73 74 72

293 C Lamb (Newmachar) 71 75 71 76

294 J Paterson (St Andrews New) 73 77 72 72

295 C Brechin (Portlethen) 72 76 77 70

296 Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) 77 74 78 67, F McKenna (Royal Aberdeen) 70 79 71 76.

297 C Cheyne (Newmachar) 70 79 71, K Nolan (Kemnay) 80 72 74 71, E Shannly (Linlithgow) 72 77 73 75

298 R J Smith (Dalmahoy) 75 74 75 74

300 J Valentine (Musselburgh) 75 77 75 73

303 T Watson (South Africa) 74 80 76 73, C Stewart (Murcar Links) 72 79 77 74

304 J Pryde (Deeside) 74 79 75 76, C Johnstone (Northern) 79 71 75 79

306 C Carnegie (Kemnay) 77 75 74 80, G Reid (Australia) 80 70 76 80
307 N Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 77 74 79 77, R O'Donnell (Oldmeldrum) 78 72 86 71
309 K Horne (Portlethen) 74 76 80 79.
312 C Duffton (Aboyne) 75 75 77 85
314 A Carrell (Royal Aberdeen) 75 75 82 82

MISSED CUT
155 A T Campbell (Murcar Links) 81 74, K Willox (Deeside) 80 75, G T Wilson (Glasow) 78 77, G McDonald (Cruden Bay) 78 77, S Cook (Portlethen) 77 78
156 S Hedger (West Kilbride) 81 75, G Munro (Newmachar) 77 79, R H Murdoch (Portlethen) 76 80.
157 T Evans (Ballater) 79 78
158 H Gorn (Aberdour) 82 76, R Buchan (Inverallochy) 78 80, C Crawford (Petrerhead) 76 82, G Innes (Portlethen) 76 82
159 B Reid (Caledonian) 81 78, J Connelly (Carnoustie Caledonia) 81 78, A Hepburn (Fraserburgh) 80 79.
160 I Esslemont (Cruden Bay) 82 78
162 B Henderson (Deeside) 81 81
163 K Daglish (Portlethen) 82 81
164 G Munro (Rway) 85 79
166 M Schinkel (Royal Dornoch) 77 89
203 J Ross (Fraserburgh) 75 128 
No Return: G J Esson (Portlethen) 74 NR
Withdrew: J Loggie (Deeside) 79 WD, D Lawrence (Ballumbie Castle), J Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 86.
No Show: R Manson (Kemnay) 94 NS, C Black (Deeside) 90 NS

MC	CAMPBELL, Andrew A T	Murcar Links Golf Club	4000554021	+11	81	74			155
MC	WILLOX, Kevin	Deeside Golf Club	4000432701	+11	80	75			155
MC	WILSON, G T	Glasgow Golf Club	4001730621	+11	78	77			155
MC	MCDONALD, Gary	Cruden Bay Golf Club	4002474358	+11	78	77			155
MC	COOK, Stephen	Portlethen Golf Club	4000631046	+11	77	78			155
MC	HEDGER, SHAUN	West Kilbride Golf Club	4000404909	+12	81	75			156
MC	MUNRO, Gordon	Newmachar Golf Club	4001303765	+12	77	79			156
MC	MURDOCH, Robbie H	Portlethen Golf Club	4000633123	+12	76	80			156
MC	EVANS, Tony	Ballater Golf Club	4000755825	+13	79	78			157
MC	GORN, Hamish	Aberdour Golf Club	4000562135	+14	82	76			158
MC	BUCHAN, Ross	Inverallochy Golf Club	4001493110	+14	78	80			158
MC	CRAWFORD, Christopher	Peterhead Golf Club	4000214364	+14	76	82			158
MC	INNES, Graham	Portlethen Golf Club	4000633152	+14	76	82			158
MC	REID, Barry	Caledonian Golf Club	4001843444	+15	81	78			159
MC	CONNELLY, Jamie	Carnoustie Caledonia Golf Club	4000427569	+15	81	78			159
MC	HEPBURN, Andrew	Fraserburgh Golf Club	4001303141	+15	80	79			159
MC	ESSLEMONT, Ian	Cruden Bay Golf Club	4000592836	+16	82	78			160
MC	HENDERSON, Benjamin	Deeside Golf Club	4000433027	+18	81	81			162
MC	DAGLISH, Kevin	Portlethen Golf Club	4000940988	+19	82	81			163
MC	MUNRO, Gregor	Reay Golf Club	4001117174	+20	85	79			164
MC	SCHINKEL, Michael	Royal Dornoch Golf Club	4001706034	+22	77	89			166
MC	ROSS, John	Fraserburgh Golf Club	4001303194	+59	75	128			203
NR	ESSON, Gary J	Portlethen Golf Club	4000633255	+10	74				74
WD	LOGGIE, Jack	Deeside Golf Club	4000432153	+7	79				79
WD	LAWRENCE, Dan	Ballumbie Castle Golf Club	4001031795	+3