'Local favourite' Chris Mailley stands between Gregor Tait and second Scottish Amateur final

Gregor Tait, last year’s beaten finalist, reckons he’ll need to make himself unpopular to set up an opportunity to go one better in the Scottish Amateur Championship at Royal Dornoch.

Brora's Chris Mailley, who is also a member at Royal Dornoch, is through to semi-finals in Scottish Amateur. Picture: Scottish Golf.

That’s because his opponent in Saturday morning’s semi-finals is Chris Mailley, who entered the Scottish Golf event out of home club Brora but is also a member of the host club.

“Really excited,” said Suffolk-based Tait of being involved in the business end of the tournament for the second year running. “Playing the local favourite, so I don’t think I’ll have too many people rooting for me, but it will be good.”

Mailley has been the surprise package this week and makes no secret that he’s made the most of playing a course he knows better than most of those who teed up dreaming of glory at the Sutherland venue.

“I wasn’t really expecting it, to be honest,” he said of making it to the last four. “I’m a member here, so it was just a case of taking every day as it comes. It’s nice and on to tomorrow - happy days.

“There’s been a lot of local knowledge, you would say. Putts from off greens, not missing it in wrong spots, stuff like that. That’s been the key to me making it this far. It should be fun tomorrow and hopefully there will be a good crowd out watching.”

Top seed Cameron Adam, who beat fellow Lohians man James Morgan at the 19th in the fourth round, meets Jack McDonald in the other semi-final.

“I obviously had a bit of a blinder at the start of the week,” said Royal Burgess left-hander Adam of carding course-record 63s on successive days at Dornoch and Tain in the stroke-play qualifying.

“It’s almost impossible to keep that level up. I’m just trying to make the best decisions and I’ve done that so far. I’m buzzing for it tomorrow - it’s a great opportunity.”

Roxburghe Schloss member McDonald, who won the Battle Trophy at Crail earlier in the year, had a hole-in-one at the second as he beat Walker Cup squad member Connor Graham 3&2 to progress to the last four.

“I thought my luck was going to run out after that,” he admitted afterwards. “The tee shot on the third was a bit nervy after it as I was a bit excited, but I settled down after that. It’s the furthest I’ve made it, so I am looking forward to it.”