Young golfer storms to take title
THE WIND was not quite force 10 as 21 golfers swung out on day four of Machrihanish’s 2017 open competition.
A lack of rain offered some bonus but in the cool conditions the heat was on for the leaders Watson and Wallace with MacMillan and O’Neill still on their tails.
O’Neill, playing in the second last group, was troubled by his injured leg but determination saw him complete the fourth round with a creditable 80.
Wallace made the best start in the top group with very solid pars at the first three holes. Watson dropped two shots in the opening three holes so the lead was tied with Wallace.
MacMillan started badly with a triple bogey seven at the first which put him seven shots back and gave him a mountain to climb to pull it back on the front two. Conditions were still very tricky and Wallace bogeyed the short par three fourth hole to give Watson a one-shot advantage but the defining moment of the round came at the fifth hole. Watson struggled to a double bogey six while Wallace shot himself back into the lead with a terrific birdie three.
Wallace followed that birdie up with another at the difficult par four seventh to go two shots in front.
Watson was not finished, though, and a birdie three at the eighth hole pulled him back to within a shot of the young leader. Another birdie for Wallace at the ninth, allied to Watson’s bogey five, gave Wallace a cushion for the first time in the tournament and he was not to look back from there.
MacMillan himself birdied the sixth and ninth holes and reached the turn in 39 after his bad start, the same front nine score as Watson.
Wallace, though, was out in two-under-par 33, terrific golf from the student, especially given the occasion.
Wallace continued to pour on the style with another birdie, a wonderful four at the par-five 10th.
A double bogey for Watson at the same hole and the destination of the 2017 championship became very clear.
A run of bogeys at 14, 15 and 16 for Wallace was never going to be an issue and he sealed a tremendous maiden victory with a fabulous birdie three at the last hole.
Unfortunately for Watson, it was just not to be his day as his round unravelled on the way back in and he finished tied for fourth place with Alan O’Neill.
There is no doubt that Watson will one day follow in his father’s footsteps and get his hands on the trophy.
His first three rounds were terrific, particularly to level par 70 on day three and he has to be proud of his performance over the four rounds.
Six-time champion MacMillan again played a solid back nine, coming home in level par 35 for a four over par 74 finishing on 295 for the competition, which would be good enough for runner-up position – again a good podium finish for him another good performance all round.
Third place in the championship went to Robbie Chrystie, who came from further down the field with an excellent three over par 73 on day four to propel himself up the leader board at the end of play.
Alan O’Neill had an excellent championship all in, taking the senior title which is played over the first two rounds of the main event with rounds of 73 and 71 for 144.
David Campbell was runner-up with a pair of 75s for 150.
The handicap championships, the Jim Scally for rounds one and two, was taken by Andrew Wallace with a pair on net 69s for 138; runner-up was Alan O’Neill.
The handicap championship for the third and fourth rounds was won by Fergus Walker with net 75 and 73 for 148; runner-up was Graham Gilchrist. The final 2017 championship scoreboard is: 1 Andrew Wallace 286, 2 George MacMillan 295, 3 Robbie Chrystie 301, 4 = Alan O’Neill 302 and Greg Watson 302, 5 Steven Gilmour 304, 6 Lee Mathieson 308, 7 = Donald Johnson and Stuart Campbell 309, 8 David Irwin 314, 9 David Gilmour 318, 10 Fergus Walker 319, 11 Stephen Kelly 320, 12 Jamie Robertson 324, 13= Eric Capocci and Thomas Martin 327, 14= Kevan Gilchrist and Murray Howat 331, 15 John Shaw 332, 16 Gavin Brown 345 and 17 Graham Gilchrist 346.