Ben Kinsley's class under pressure wins under-16s championship

BEN Kinsley from St Andrews chalked up yet another golfing success for Fife when he won the Scottish Under-16 boys' open stroke-play championship at Forfar Golf Club yesterday.

Kinsley, trailing overnight leader Luigi Botta from Italy, came surging to the front over the final two rounds.

Under pressure he showed the class of a would-be champion by returning a brilliant four-under-par closing round of 65 to hold off the challenge from Newcastle's Jack Hermeston.

Kinsley, a 15-year-old Madras College pupil, posted a 68 in the morning's second round to move into contention, and finished with a four-under par aggregate of 203, one shot ahead of Hermeston, who saw his 30-foot birdie putt at the last just slip past.

Kinsley said later: "I played great all day, hitting it really well off the tee and holing some good putts. That's one of my lowest ever rounds and it's nice to do that in a big event like this. I got off to a good start this afternoon, which was important and thankfully my wrist recovered after hitting the tree with my club at the seventh."

Coached by Gary Forrester, Kinsley is in his first year of the Scottish Golf Academy programme.

"It's been a good year so far, having reached the semis of the Scottish Boys Championship. My goal is to keep progressing and hopefully I'll do well in the McGregor Trophy down in England next week."

Hermeston posted 69, 68 and 67 for the runner-up spot, one shot clear of Barassie's Euan Walker, who fired a great final round of 64, the lowest score of the week. Walker, who opened with a 73, was eight-under par for his last 24 holes.

In the European Team Championships, Scotland's amateur men beat Ireland 3-1 and will play Spain for fifth place in today's concluding matches at Vilamours Victoria course on Portugal's Algarve.

After Greg Paterson and David Law got a square match from the foursomes, Michael Stewart, James Byrne and Ross Kellett all scored useful wins over Paul Cutler, Alan Dunbar and Kevan Phelan. Stewart beat Cutler 3 and 2, Byrne beat Dunbar 3 and 2 and Kellett beat Phelan 5 and 3. Scotland's only loser was Kris Nicol who has gone off the boil since producing a sub-par score in the first qualifying round.

In the women's event, Scotland scored their second win in Flight B of their team championship at Murhof, Austria. They beat Netherlands 4-1 and now play Finland in their last match with ninth place in the final rankings at stake.

Louise Kenney and Rachael Watton won their foursome at the 19th and there were wins in the singles by Pamela Pretswell, Megan Briggs and Jane Turner. Kelsey MacDonald lost on the last green.

Scotland's boys team beat Netherlands 3-2 in a Flight B match in Prague.

The Scots now play the Czech Republic host nation in their final match.

Winners against the Dutch boys were Ewan Scott and Anthony Blaney at the 19th in the foursomes and Greg Marchank and Jack McDonald.Grant Forrest and Eamon Bradley were both beaten in the singles.

In the girls championship, Scotland lost 3-2 to Austria in a Flight B match at Is Molas in Sardinia. The Scots now play Turkey in their final match.

Lauren Whyte and Hannah McCook won the foursomes 7 and 5 but only Ailsa Summers was able to win her singles match. Eilidh Briggs, Clara Young and Alyson McKechin were all beaten in the singles.