Daniel Young continues low-scoring spree to win Barassie Links Masters

In-form Daniel Young brought another links course to its knees as he won the Barassie Links Classic, the latest event on this season’s Tartan Pro Tour.

Hot on the heels of a low-scoring display that earned him victory in last week’s Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-Am, the Kingbarns Links-attached player shot a nine-under 63 in the second and final circuit.

Young, who holds a Challenge Tour card, sparked his effort by making eagle-3s at both the first and seventh on the Ayrshire course before adding birdies at the eighth, ninth, 11th, 13th and 18th.

Having opened with a 67, he finished with a 14-under-par total, which saw him end up two shots ahead of recent Montrose Links Masters winner Danny Kay (63-69) in the battle for a £4,000 top prize.

Daniel Young celebrates winning the Barassie Links Masters after rounds of 67-63 at the Ayrshire venue. Picture: Tartan Pro Tour

Young, who won the South African Amateur Championship in 2015, took up at Barassie where he’d left off when producing a stunning effort in the Granite City.

The 30-year-old from Perth opened that celebration of links courses with a 67 at Royal Aberdeen that saw him storm home in 30 before setting up a 63 at Cruden Bay with five birdies in the first six holes.

Young then rounded off his week with a seven-under 65 at Trump International to pip Tom Higson for another £4,000 prize.

“It’s been going alright the last couple of weeks and the scoring speaks for itself,” admitted Young, who won on the PGA EuroPro Tour in Aviemore in 2019, of his purple patch.

“I’ve actually been playing well for about a month now. I’d just been struggling to score, so it’s been nice to put five or six good rounds together.”

While admitting the conditions on this occasion had been benign, Young says it takes good golf to come out on top on Paul Lawrie’s circuit this season.

“The standard of golf in these events is great,” he added. “You’ve got to be pushing close to double digits under par to have a chance of coming away with the trophy.

“It’s great prep for everybody. It’s getting the juices going for guys starting their season on the PGA EuroPro Tour and is also great for guys like myself as we wait to get back to the Challenge Tour.

"We’ve got an event an Spain in a couple of weeks’ time then have the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge at Newmachar, so it’s been great having this run of events that Paul has set up for us.

"I was lucky enough to get an invite for the event in Aberdeen last week as well and I felt that I had just been needing a run of tournaments, having played okay in the first few events of the season in South Africa on the Challenge Tour without much success.

"The game’s been there and it’s just been a case of getting some rounds under my belt and gaining confidence. Good golf travels so hopefully I can take this form on to the Challenge Tour for the rest of the season.”

Graeme Robertson (68-65) and local man Euan Walker (65-69) finished third and fourth respectively, with recent double winner Jack McDonald (70-68) just missing out on the top 10.

The second leg of an Ayrshire double-header – the Dundonald Links Classic – takes place on Wednesday and Thursday.