Martin completes Aberdeen Senior Masters double with 25ft play-off birdie putt for a 2

       "Do I  get to keep the trophy if I win it for a third time next year," joked Miguel Martin. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Golfing history repeated itself in the Aberdeen Senior Masters tournament today when Spain's 56-year-old Miguel Martin produced an action replay of his 2015 play-off victory to land the trophy for second time at Meldrum House Country Hotel, Oldmeldrum.
Three years ago Huelva-born Martin beat compatriot Santiago Luna in a play-off to win the first staging of the event. Miguel missed the 2016 tournament and it was not played last year.
So his play-off victory today, with a birdie 2 from about 25ft at the par-3 18th to beat Argentina's Cesar Monasterio after they had tied on seven-under-par 203, gave Miguel two wins out of two in the tournament for pros and Class 1 amateurs aged 48 and over. 
Monasterio could and should have won it. He had an eagle 3 at the 17th but then, needing "only" a par 3 finish for a 202 total - one fewer than Martin, the Argentinian shanked a six-iron tee shot at the short 18th and finished up holing a chip for a bogey 4 to get into the play-off.  
Martin and Tim Thelen (USA) both had closing, four-under-par 66s, the lowest score of the final round during which it rained for most of the play, slowing the speed of the greens.
"Do I get to keep the trophy if I win it a third time," joked Martin who won three times on the European Tour as a younger man and was selected for Ryder Cup duty but, controversially, was de-selected due to a wrist injury.
Thelen tied for fourth place with Rafel Gomez (Argentina) who shared the lead with American Dan Olsen with nine holes to go.
Florida's Olsen, playing in Scotland for the first time, finished third with a one-over 71 for 204 and the  pin placings were not to his liking for the second day in a row. He posted a seven-under 63 in the first round but scored 70 and 71 in his subsequent rounds.
The £30,000 tournament was sponsored by Gary Ross (Gymrental) and Nick Robson (Thistle Windows). Robson again won the leading amateur award, despite taking 76 blows to get round today. His earlier scores were 68 and 72.
Top Scot was, in fact, Tartan Tour stalwart Craig Ronald (Carluke) who earned £700 for a 10th place finish on one-under 209.
Ronald is looking forward to extending his pro career on the Senior Tour but realises it will be difficult to get through its Qualifying tournament at the end of which only six players gain playing rights.

FINAL TOTALS
par 210 (3x70)
203 C Monasterio (Arg) 66 69 68, M Martin (Spn) 67 70 66 (Martin won play-off at first extra hole, Martin £5,000; Monasterio £3,500).
204  D Olsen (USA) 63 70 71 (£2,500).
205 T Thelen (USA) 72 67 66, R Gomez (Arg) 68 65 71 (£1,600 each),
206 M Ashworth (Eng) 69 66 71 (£1,000).
207 T Spence (Eng) 67 71 69, C Suneson (Swe) 71 65 71 (£850 each).
208 G Joyner (Australia) 65 73 70 (£750)
209 C Ronald (Sco) 69 71 69 (£700). 
210 A Oldcorn (Sco) 68 72 70, J Nougues (Arg) 70 70 70, M Molina (Arg) 67 70 73 (£650 each).
211 J Romero (Spn) 72 69 70, P Parker (Eng) 70 70 71 (£587.50 each).
212 D Pearce (Eng) 71 71 70, R Backwell (Eng) 69 71 72, K Hutton (Sco) 68 71 73 (£525 each).
213 J Cheetham (Eng) 70 69 74, F Mann (Sco) 69 70 74, R Arnott (Sco) 71 69 73, A Sherbourne (Eng) 71 69 73, P Linhart (Spn) 68 68 77 (£425 each)
214 A George (Eng) 70 70 74, B Conser (USA) 68 70 76 (£337.50 each).
215 K Ableidinger (Den) 71 73 71, L Carbonetti (Arg) 70 74 71, M Wharton (Eng) 70 71 74 (£275 each).
216 S McNally (Eng) 68 74 74, N Robson (Sco) (am) 68 72 76, C Gomez (Spn) 68 72 76 (£212.50 each to the two pros; £400 voucher to leading amateur
217 L Tinkler (USA) 73 74 70, M Mankin (USA) 72 71 74, M Spooner (Eng) 70 73 74, F Roca (Ita) 66 77 74.
218 V Casado (Spn) 74 71 73, G Emerson (Eng) 74 69 75, S Henderson (Sco) 70 73 75, N Mitchell (Eng) 77 66 75.
219 G Wall (Australia) 71 73 75, K Tenmark (Den) 77 73 69, J Fernandez (Arg) 71 72 76.
220 S Savage (Eng) 73 72 75, S Hill (Eng) 74 71 75, I Roberts (Wales) 72 76 72.
221 J Murphy (Eng) 70 75 76
222 G Bolla (Ita) (am) 76 72 74 (£250 voucher 2nd amateur), I Lyner (Eng) 73 76 73.
223 D Narveson (USA) 72 70 81.
224 G Cooper (Eng) (am) 71 75 78 (£150 voucher 3rd amateur), C Haynes (Eng) 75 75 74.
225 R Masters (Eng) 73 70 82.
227 M Briggs (Eng) 71 74 82, J Pons (Den) 71 75 81, B Rollinson (USA) 72 72 83.
228 D Williamson (Sco) 74 75 79, A Ross (Sco) (am) 74 79 75.
229 A Rosa (Ita) 78 74 77.
232 R Ord (Sco) (am) 70 84 78, M Ure (Eng) 82 79 71.
234 R Stewart (Sco) 79 71 84.
239 J Balfanz (USA) 78 77 84.
243 M Gammell (USA) 73 85 85.
245 S Sherwood (USA) 82 79 84.
247 T R Jones (USA) 84 82 81.
249  G Ross (Sco) (am) 85 81 83.

NRs: L Turner (Australia) 72 77 NR, M Lang (Eng) 76 75 NR, R Rodriquez (Arg) 78 77 NR
Retired: D Young (Eng) 81 80 - , M Capaul (Switz) 85 82 -.

Miguel Martin flanked by the co-sponsors of the tournament: (left) Gary Ross of Gymrental and (right) Nick Robson of Thistle Windows. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.