WINNER ZEYNALOV MAKES N-EAST

ALLIANCE HISTORY AT ELLON

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Kamran Zeynalov today became the first Azeri - born in Azerbaijan - to score an outright victory on the North-east Golfers' Alliance circuit when he headed a field of 60 competitors at McDonald Ellon Golf Club with a fine round of six-under-par 64.

Portlethen GC tour pro Zeynalov, pictured left, whose mother comes from Scotland, earned £130. Last October, he gave notice that he was becoming a force on the winter campaign when he figured in a three-way tie for first place in the fixture at Peterculter.

"I reckon that 64 was the best golf of my career so far. It is certainly my lowest ever score, thanks to an inward half of 28," said the 24-year-old Zeynalov.

"Like all good rounds, it could have been even better. I did not expect to land in a pot hole on the 17th green. That cost me three putts and that was my only bogey."

He had an eagle and five birdies in total, the eagle 2 (at the 17th) and four birdies coming in the space of seven holes from the 10th to the 16th. His inward half of 28 read:

3-3-2-3-3-3-2-5-4.

There were no golf courses in oil-rich Azerbaijan - there is one now - when Kamran left with his mother as a youngster to make a new home in the North-east. So he has learned the game of golf in Scotland.

Royal Aberdeen Golf Club's senior assistant pro Joel Hopwood, pictured left, marked his last competition as North-east Alliance organiser by taking second place with a two-under 68 - four birdies, two bogeys in halves of 34.

Hopwood plays right handed but putts left handed and he holed a 40-footer for the first of his birdies at the third hole.