SCOTTISH SENIORS FINALS DAY AT BLAIRGOWRIE

By GORDON THOMSON

Following Scotland’s great win in the European Senior Team Championship in Slovenia, the Scottish Seniors Golfing Society season reaches its climax on Thursday at Blairgowrie where the leading 30 players in the Order of Merit (sponsored by McCrea Financial Services) fight it out over the Lansdowne course for the final placings. 

Excellent performances in July and in the Seniors Open Amateur Championship at Formby mean that the Order of Merit title can only be won by either the holder, Ronnie Clark (Erskine) or Graham Bell (Downfield). 

Both played major roles in last week’s team success at Ljubljana and Thursday’s event is sure to produce a fascinating day’s play with the two protagonists playing in the final grouping with another of last week’s star performers, Nick Robson (Meldrum House).

Clark has 975 points which gives him a lead of 73 points over Bell. With an allocation of 175 points for the play-off winner and points for those in the top 20 there is still plenty for the leading players to go for in terms of their final rankings.

The top six places in the rankings going in to Thursday are :-

Ronnie Clark (Erskine) 975 points

Graham Bell (Downfield) 902 points 

Nick Robson (Meldrum House) 620 points 

John Fraser (Royal Burgess) 603 points

Robert Smith (Nairn) 592 points

David Shields (Glenearn) 568 points

The destiny of the Society’s two other Order of Merit titles was decided last week at Nairn Dunbar. Andrew Stracey (Denham) won the Handicap Order of Merit race with Neil McGarva (Kilmacolm) in second place just ahead of Lindsay Blair (Grangemouth) in third place. 

Gordon MacDonald (Glenbervie) won the Super Seniors (over 65) Order of Merit with Lindsay Gordon (Turnhouse ) in second place and Ken Thomson (Bramall Park) in third place.