Alan Tait presents Lynn Kenny with the Belhaven Trophy |
Neil Hampton, Pamela Pretswell, Laura Murray, Michael Gannon winners of the Team Award |
Gillian Kirkwood, Heather McCrae, Lynn Kenny and Carol Fell - Team Runners Up |
It was girls on top at the Callaway/Gleneagles Hotel-sponsored Scottish golfwriters and guests' golf tournament over the King's Course, Gleneagles today.
On a dry (!), windless day on a soft course - aren't they all at the moment? - Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) won the Belhaven Trophy for the best overall Stableford points score with an outstanding effort of 39 - off a handicap (for competition purposes) of +3!
Lynn's gross score was six-under-par 65 (32-33).
She is the first female competitor ever to win the Belhaven Trophy.
"It was a brilliant display," said one of her playing partners, Carol Fell (Ranfurly Castle).
"No-one was more surprised than me," said Lynn, a former Scottish women's amateur champion who lost her Ladies European Tour card at the end of last season, "because I have played very little golf lately. Maybe this is the answer to regaining my form!"
Rookie pro and recent Curtis Cup heroine Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle), Scottish women's amateur champion Laura Murray (Alford), Michael Gannon (Daily Record) and Neil Hampton, general manager of Royal Dornoch Golf Club won the team event with 94pt .
Runners-up were the all-ladies team of Gillian Kirkwood (Broomieknowe), Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links), Heather MacRae (Gullane) and Carol Fell with 92pt.
Scott Peddie (Bunkered and Scottish Club Golfer) won he Alex M Fox Trophy as winner of the Golfwriters' section. He scored 32pt off a handicap of seven, despite not scoring any points at all at two holes.
Neil Hampton won the Male Guests' category with 33pt off scratch. His gross score was 71 (34-37) against a par of 68.
Callaway provided the golf equipment prizes and Gleneagles Hotel supplied goodie bags, coffee/tea and bacon rolls on arrival and a two-course lunch, all on the house. And, of course, they provided the golfwriters and guests with the courtesy of the King's Course - perhaps the biggest prize of all!
The management at Machrihanish Dunes, Trump International Links, Marriott Dalmhoy Hotel Golf and Country Club, Royal Dornoch Golf Club and Gleneagles Hotel provided courtesy tee times at their courses at future dates as additional prizes.
LEADING PRIZEWINNERS
GOLFWRITERS
Overall winner - Alex M Fox Trophy - Scott Peddie (Bunkered and Scottish Club Golfer) (7) 32pt
Class 1 - Robin Wilson (Brora freelance) (6) 30pt, Malcolm Campbell (RandA) (8) 29, Fergus Bisset (Golf Monthly) (3) 25, Ed Hodges (SGU) (8) 16.
Class 2 - Kevin Ferrie (Herald) (11) 29 (inward half 16pt), Michael McEwan (Bunkered and Scottish Club Golfer) (22) 29 (inward half 11pt), Dave Edwards (Press and Journal) (17) 26, Michael Gannon (Daily Record) (14) 25, Mike Aitken (Sport Perceptions) (15) 20.
MALE GUESTS
Overall winner - Bunkered Trophy - Neil Hampton (Royal Dornoch) (scr) 33pt.
Class 1 - Billy Sim (Craibstone) (4) 31pt (inward half 17pt), Roy Murray (PGA in Scotland)( (31 (inward half 14), Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) (7) 25 (bih), Peter Smith (Deeside) 25, Billy Murray (Gleneagles Hotel) (6) 24l
Class 1 - Kenny Smith (Kenny Smith Photography) (10) 29pt, Hugh Hunter (SGU past president) (19) 26, Graham Hesketh (Gleneagles Hotel) (15) 25, Mike Woodcock (St Andrews Links) (12) 24, Graeme Webster (Golf Course Designer) (10) 23, Eric Nicolson (Dundee Courier) (12) 18.
LADY GUESTS
Overall winner - Belhaven Trophy - Lynn Kenny (Archerfield Links) )(+3) 39pt.
Class 1 - Pamela Prestswell (Bothwell Castle) (+3) 36pt, Heather MacRae (Gleneagles Hotel) (+3) 29.
Class 2 - Laura Murray (Alford) (+2) 25pt, Carol Fell (10) 24, Gillian Kirkwood (Broomieknowe) (11) 21.
TEAM EVENT
Best three from four scores per tee time to count
Winners - Pamela Pretswell, Laura Murray, Michael Gannon, Neil Hampton - 94pt
Runners-up - Gillian Kirkwood, Lynn Kenny, Heather MacRae, Carol Fell - 92pt
3rd - Robin Wilson, Kevin Ferrie, Harry Roulston, Roy Murray 90pt.
4th - Kenny Smith, Fergus Bisset, Mike Aitken, Scott Peddie 86pt
5th - Graeme Webster, Billy Sim, Dave Edwards, Peter Smith 82pt.
6th - Mike Woodcock, Malcolm Camp-bell, Eric Nicolson, Hugh Hunter 79pt
7th - Ed Hodge, Michael McEwan, Billy Murray, Graham, Hesketh 78pt.
LONGEST DRIVE (at 18th hole) - Scott Peddie.
NEAREST PIN (at 16th hole) - Neil Hampton.
SHORTEST DRIVE (at first hole) - Dave Edwards.