Happy Gilmour grabs close-run Machrihanish Club championship
AN EXPLOSIVE final round saw three players in a tie for the lead firing down the last hole before Steven Gilmour snatched an epic victory. Lochgilphead’s Gilmour took a threeshot lead into round three on June 11, with five time winner George McMillan in second and young Ross Robertson a further five shots back in third place. Sixteen time champion Stuart Campbell went into the weekend with a mountain to climb some nine shots behind Gilmour but his experience meant he could not be written off.
Campbell’s round-by-round improvement continued as he shot an excellent round of 71 to finish the day on 219 and secure fourth place going into the final round. McMillan had a solid round but slipped to third place going into Sunday with an aggregate score of 216.
Local lad, Ross Robertson mixing it with the big boys for the first time was clearly comfortable and shot a career-best three under par 67 to move into second spot on 214, a brilliant round that was the lowest of the championship at that point.
Gilmour extended his lead over the field as a whole with a solid level par 70, leaving him on 209 for the tournament, five ahead of Robertson, seven ahead of McMillan and 10 ahead of Campbell before the final round on Sunday June 12.
Gilmour had suffered heartache the year before, losing a final round lead to finish runner-up to Revie Thomson, so was determined not to let history repeat itself. The weather on Sunday morning was overcast and windy, giving little indication of the fireworks that were to come over the 18 holes that lay ahead.
Campbell, Gilmour, Robertson and McMillan all had mixed front nines leaving them all in contention over the final holes, with the final nine providing pure golfing drama.
With two holes left McMillan, Gilmour and Campbell were level, six over par for the championship with Robertson only two shots back.
By now a sizeable crowd had gathered to follow the final two groups and with one hole left there was a three-way tie for the lead.
Campbell looked to be on the verge of an incredible 17th title, but scorned a birdie chance on 18 to leave him watching the last group from the greenside as they drove down the final hole.
Robertson pitched up and sunk his putt for birdie to finish one shot behind Campbell in fourth place.
McMillan went first with his putt to win the championship. He gave it a good roll but it slid agonisingly right of the hole.
Gilmour was next up with a five-foot putt which would win him the championship outright from the two multiple champions McMillan and Campbell by the smallest margin.
Not to be denied, he kept his composure to knock the ball into the hole, finally getting his hands on the trophy.
Robbie Christie won the Bob Ballantyne shield for the best two handicap scores in round three and four, Michael Morrison was runner-up.
Final scores: 1. Steven Gilmour 68+71+70+76=285; 2. George McMillan 73+69+74+70=286 and Stuart Campbell 75+73+71+67=286; 4. Ross Robertson 74+73+67+73=287