SCOTTISH MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

 Local hero Burns reaches semi-finals at Crail

FROM BERNIE McGUIRE

Local club hero George Burns is looking to follow in the footsteps of good friend Bob MacIntyre and capture the Scottish men's amateur championship at Crail.

Burns, 22 fought back from being two down after 10 holes to win by one hole  on the final green over Cupar Golf Club’s Markus Rickard on the Craighead Links course at golf’s seventh oldest club.

Burns (pictured) and MacIntyre struck-up a good friendship as members of the Scottish Under-16s team and continue to remain friends, including in 2015 when MacIntyre pulled-off victory in the Scottish Amateur at Muirfield.

However, when MacIntyre turned pro after the 2017 Walker Cup the pair went their own ways with Burns, who holds an economics degree and now is employed in the Sports Centre working on the golf team at St. Andrews University, while MacIntyre is brilliantly lying 14^th on the Race to Dubai with earnings so farin his rookie year of £957,400.

Burns said:  “Bob and I move in different circles nowadays. I think he’s won a million quid this season and I’m now in the finals of the Scottish Amateur but I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Burns will face Peebles' Darren Howie in Saturday morning's  second semi-final  after Howie bundled-out John Paterson (St Andrews New) also by one hole.

In the opening semi-final Kirkhill’s Lewis Irvine will play Kilmacolm’s Matt Clark.

Irvine, who is now coached by former European Tour pro Alistair Forsyth, grabbed a 3 and 2 victory over Hilton Park’s Lachlan Reynolds.

It was a battle of the ‘oldies’ when the 37-year old Clark defeated 35-year old and 2008 Scottish Amateur champ and reinstated amateur, Callum MacAulay, also by one hole. 

Clark said:  “Callum had eagled the first but given his level of experience, and having played against him before he turned pro, I was just keen not to let him get more than 1 hole up on me.

“I managed to go two up after eight holes but I was feeling we were not the fittest in the field and tiredness might kick in, and that's what happened. I easily gave him the 11th and I then went out of bounds  left at the 12th.

“The turning point was when I then 'stiffed' it to two-feet at 13 for birdie.

“So, it was never going to be a 6 and 5 job and it was a sad way for it to end with Callum missing the green just short at the last while I found the green and two-putted for the win.

“Back in 2008 when he won this event, I was probably at the bottom end of the home Internationals team whereas he was at the uppermost level and just so naturally-gifted.

“I’ve reached the quarter-finals twice before so this is new for me to reach a Scottish Amateur semi-final and I'm very much looking forward to it.”

FRIDAY MORNING - THIRD ROUND

L Reynolds (Hilton Park) bt J Greer (Joondfroalup) 2 and 1
L Irvine (Kirkhill) bt J Wright (Forres) at 21st
C MacAulay (Ralston) bt A Carrick (Craigielaw) 5 and 3
M Clark (Kilmacom) bt S Marc (Broomieknowe) 3 and 2.

J Paterson (St Andrews New) bt C Wilson (Castle Park) 3 and 2
D Howie (Peebles) bt L Dobbelaar (Brookwater) 1 hole.
M Rickard (Cupar) bt M S S Smyth (Royal Troon) 6 and 5
G Burns (Crail) bt Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield) 2 holes.

FRIDAY AFTERNOON
QUARTER-FINALS
Lewis Irvine bt Lachlan Reynolds 3 and 2
Matt Clark bt Callum MacAulay 1 hole.
Darren Howie bt John Paterson 1 hole
George Burns bt Marcus Rickard 1 hole

SATURDAY MORNING
SEMI-FINALS
8.30 Irvine v Clark
8.45 Howie v Burns

SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FINAL (18 holes)
1.30 Irvine or Clark v Howie or Burns