29/03/10
Deeside’s Jack Scott got his season off to a flyer with a two-shot victory in the opening SGU Junior Tour event of the year at a cold and windy Monifieth.
The Scottish Boys Development Squad golfer fired rounds of 71 and 70 to post a one-under par aggregate of 141 to finish two shots clear of a group of five players – Eamon Bradley (Mount Ellen), Paul McPhee (King James VI), Conor O’Neil (Pollok), Ian Redford (St Andrews New) and Callum Stewart (Brora).
Despite opening his first round with a birdie three, Scott struggled to an outward half of 40, but notched five birdies on the back nine to storm home in 31, four-under par. That put the 17-year-old in joint first place with Stewart, Redford and Falkirk Tryst’s Jamie Lynch.
Scott fought back from two early bogeys to reach the turn in level par in the afternoon round and a closing birdie four for a one-under par round of 70 clinched victory, much to his delight:
“It’s great start to the season for me and puts me in good shape for the year ahead. It’s obviously been a harsh winter but I used the Squad Training Week in Portugal to good advantage and sharpened up my short game.” said Scott.
“I didn’t play all that well in the Boys Quads in France but since I got back I’ve been working hard with my coach Neil Marr two or three times a week just putting and chipping which has helped. I’ve made a couple of technical changes to my putting and it seems to be bearing fruit.”
“Now I can really look forward to the Scottish Boys at West Kilbride and believe I can win if I take it game by game. The furthest I’ve been was the last 16 at Southerness and I’d love to improve on that. This is my last year in the boys’ circuit and the British Boys in August – my last major boys' event – is also another goal.” he added.
Round off the day came from Mount Ellen’s Eamon Bradley – whose brother Paul won the Scottish Club Handicap Championship last year – who fired a superb three-under par 68 in the afternoon, which included four consecutive birdies from the sixth hole.
Click here for collated scores from the SGU Junior Tour Event at Monifieth.