Alan Tait's winter graft helped seal surprise Boys' success

I STILL remember just about everything about my win at Dunbar - the clubs I hit, the yardages the lot. And what made the triumph all the more satisfying is that I went into the event as a complete unknown playing off a handicap of four.

However, I don't think anyone was better prepared for that week than me because I had spent the whole of the previous winter practising at Irvine Bogside, where I was out in all sorts of weather, specifically for what was my last chance in the Scottish Boys.

I remember all the headlines in the build up to the week were about Stuart Bannerman and Euan McIntosh, who were off plus one or two at the time, whereas I was very much under the radar until the later rounds and people started asking, "who is this lad Tait?"

Due to all the work I had done, my confidence grew day by day. One of the players I beat en route to the final was Frank O'Callaghan, which was nice revenge for him having beaten me in the final of the West of Scotland Boys' Championship the previous year.

I also beat Colin Fraser, the young Burntisland lad who went on to win it two years later, and my opponent in the final was the aforementioned McIntosh, who was certainly a confident wee guy from Turnhouse.

Indeed, I remember standing on the putting green before we teed off in the morning and Euan was asked by a couple of press guys what he thought he would shoot that morning.

In a voice that he knew was loud enough for me to hear, he replied: "72 or 73 should be good enough to give me a two or three-hole lead".

He was round in 72 but was eight down as a result of the fact I shot 64, having putted unbelievably that morning to pummel him.

"You cocky wee so and so - you're getting it now," I had thought to myself when I heard what he'd said in the morning and I went on to win by 6 and 5.

To this day, that victory is still one of the proudest achievements of my career. STV sponsored the event then and it was a great thrill to see the highlights on Scotsport the following day with Arthur Montford providing the commentary.