HENDERSON WINS SCOTTISH SENIORS

ORDER OF MERIT IN CLOSE FINISH

L - R: Don Bremner, President, Scottish Golf Ltd., Stewart Henderson (Hamilton GC) Order of Merit winner, and Gordon Doig, Captain, Scottish Seniors Golfing Society

By ALASDAIR MACGREGOR

The Scottish Seniors Golfing Society Finals day was held in blustery conditions on Blairgowrie's Lansdowne course today.  At the start of the day there were only three players who could win the Order of Merit title - Graham Bell (Downfield), Stewart Henderson (Hamilton) and Nick Robson (Meldrum House). 

All three played together today in the last group and Robson, who finished with an 80, saw his hopes vanish with a poor start.  Only 3pts separated last year's winner, Graham Bell, and Stewart Henderson at the start of play, meaning that Bell needed to stay at least level with Henderson to retain the title. 
After a few twists and turns the pair stood on the 18th tee level at two over par for the round.  However, Bell missed a 5 ft putt and bogeyed the last hole. Henderson's par was enough to give him the title by the smallest of margins.

Henderson finished tied for third place on the day, giving him 113 pts, while Bell finished alone in fifth place and earned 90 points.

Best rounds of the day were level par 72s from Keith Bruce (Edzell) and Duncan Hamilton (Mortonhall).  Bruce bogeyed the seventh and eighth but recovered with birdies at the 11th and 17th.  Hamilton got off to the best possible start with an eagle at the par 5 first hole and a birdie at the fourth, but he bogeyed the third, seventh and 11th.  
Henderson and Phil Dempsey (Tulliallan) tied for third spot on two over par 74. 

 Henderson had a very steady round with 16 pars and bogeys at the fifth and seventh.  Dempsey's round was rather different - he birdied the first, sixth, seventh and 11th, but bogeys at the third, fifth, 15th, 17th and a double bogey at the 13th gave him a 74.

Final Order of Merit placings:

1 Stewart Henderson (Hamilton) 903 pts
2 Graham Bell (Downfield) 883
3 Nick Robson (Meldrum House) 785
4 Robert Smith (Nairn) 633
5 Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) 632.

Keith Bruce (Edzell) won the Super Seniors (age 65+) Order of Merit.
That's Keith pictured right with his trophy, flanked by Don Bremner, president of Scottish Golf Ltd, and Gordon Doig, captain of the Scottish Seniors Golfing Society.

The SSGS Order of Merit is sponsored by McCrea Financial Services.

LEADING BLAIRGOWRIE LANSDOWNE SCORES
Par 72. SSS 73. CSS 75
72 K Bruce (Edzell), D Hamilton (Mortonhall).
74 S Henderson (Hamilton), P Dempsey (Tulliallan).
75 G Bell (Downfield)
76 R Jenkins (Royal Troon), T McLevy (Blairgowrie), P Moultrie (Royal Troon).
77 A Ferguson (Dunfermline), S Finnie (Caledonian).
78 G Tough (Edzell).
79 G MacDonald (Glenbervie), J Graham (Lochmaben).
80 N Dyce (Strathmore), N Robson (Meldrum House).
81 R W Smith (Nairn), G C Barrie (Callander).
82 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen).

TO VIEW ALL OF TODAY'S SCORES

CLICK HERE