SCOTS TRIO WIN NATIONS CUP AT FAIRHAVEN TROPHIES JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

The winning Scotland team at Fairthaven. Ferguson, Lauren Whyte and Neil. Picure by Tom Ward

FROM THE SGU WEBSITE

Bradley Neil suffered play-off heartache after squandering a six-shot lead at the Fairhaven Trophies, the international youth scratch championship.

Having claimed gold with Team GB at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival at the start of the year before going on to secure the Scottish Boys Championship at Monifieth and then the Scottish Hydro Junior Tour opener, Neil appeared set to add another title to his growing CV at Fairhaven GC.

The Blairgowrie 17-year-old – who claimed Nations Cup team glory for Scotland along with fellow Scottish Golf Academy players Lauren Whyte and Ewen Ferguson on Saturday night – led by six shots going into the final round of the 72-hole under-18 event following fine rounds of 69, 72 and 70.

But a damaging closing score of 77 allowed Marco Penge from Worthing to draw level, after he posted a final-round one-under-par 71.

And it was Penge, still only aged 15, who came out on top in added time, winning the four-hole play-off after Neil bogeyed the final hole, the 18th.

“I just had a bad back nine in the final round,” said Neil, who bogeyed 12, 14, 16 and 18 in round four. “I should have been walking down the last hole with a good lead, but I had four 3-putts in the last 11 holes.

”It wasn’t good enough, but these things happen. I’ve never had such a big lead going into a final round before and Marco made a good run at it. I just have to work harder.”

Lauren Whyte from St Regulus finished runner-up in the girls’ event, posting a 303 total to end just a shot behind Sophie Lamb (Clitheroe).

It was a near-miss for Whyte, but a fine week’s golf, given her contribution to the Nations Cup win.

>> Click here for final scores from Fairhaven GC

BOYS' FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
288 Marco Penge (Worthing) 72 73 72 71, Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 69 72 70 77 (Penge won play-off)
295 Johnathan Thomson (Lindrick) 75 75 75 70.
296 Callum Hill (Tantallon) 78 74 79 71, Alekis Myllmak (Finland) 82 72 72 70

OTHER SCOTTISH TOTALS 
298 Ewan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) 78 75 72 73 (T6)
301 Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) 73 74 76 78 (T12)
307 Connor Syme (Dumfries and Co) 75 76 73 83 (T31)
311 Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 77 77 81 76 (T40)

MISSED THE CUT
155 Christopher Maclean (Clydebank and Dist) 79 76.
156 George Burns (Williamwood) 79 77, Colin Edgar (Cochrane Castle) 77 79
157 Greg Forrester (Lundin) 82 75, Andrew Burgess (Nairn) 79 78
159 Cameron Kirkwood (Bearsden) 74 85.   
160 Fraser Davren (Williamwood) 77 83
161 Alexander Wilson (Renaissance) 81 80
170 Ben Craggs (Glenbervie) 85 85
171 Blair Carnegie (Glenbervie) 91 80.  

GIRLS' TOTALS
Par 300 (4x75) 
302 Sophie Lamb (Clitheroei) 78 77 75 72
303 Lauren Whyte (St Andrews) 73 79 77 74
305 Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer) 77 75 77 76
307 Eloise Healty (West Lancs) 77 76 80 74, Bethan Popel (Long Ashton) 78 77 71 81.
310 Annabel Dimmock (Wentworth) 78 75 79 78.
313 Jenna Maihaniemi (Finland) 80 75 79 79.
317 Georgia Coughlin (Fairhaven) 75 80 82 80

MISSED THE CUT     
156 Olivia Winning (Rotherham) 79 77.
157 Inci Mehmet (Wentworth) 81 76, Lesley Atkins (Gullane) 80 77
159 Ellie Goodall (Selby) 78 81, Lida Nikka (Finland) 76 83
160 Aimee Ponte (Royal Guernsey) 81 79, Emily-Mae Hall (Notts Ladies) 76 84.
161 Lianna Bailey (Notts Ladies) 82 79, Sophie Keech (Lyme Regis) 80 81
162 Alice Hewson (Berkhamsted) 83 79, Rochelle Morris (Woodsome Hall) 79 83.
165 Sandra Salonen (Finland) 79 86.
168 Jerri Sewell (Shooters Hill) 84 84, Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 80 88.
170 Nicola Callander (Mill Green) 86 84.
171 Emily Shea (Fairhaven) 89 92
172 Emma Harris (Peel) 85 87