Dean Robertson: Dornoch favours top players

Nineteen years ago, the 36-hole title showdown involved the country’s top two players at that time as Robertson, of  Cochrane Castle, beat Longniddry’s Raymond Russell on the final green.

It was a similar story in 2000, when Colville Park’s Steven O’Hara came out on top in the final against Craig Heap, the  defending champion from East Kilbride, by the same margin.

Add in the fact the semi- finalists in 1993 were Simon Mackenzie (West Linton) and Garry Hay (Panmure) then, seven years later, Barry Hume (Haggs Castle) and Stuart Wilson (Forfar) and it’s a venue where established players have a good track record.

That’s why Robertson, who is heading up to Dornoch in his role as the Stirling University head performance coach, isn’t expecting to see a surprise winner of the SGU’s flagship event on Saturday night.

“The course is in splendid condition,” said the former Italian Open champion of a recent visit during the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart. “The fairways are pretty generous but miss them and prepare to take your wedge out of the bag as the rough is thicker than I can ever remember.

“Slashers won’t do well this week as they will probably find themselves gifting holes to better players. I think it will be like 1993, when myself and Raymond were the top two seeds. I can see the top players progressing to the final.”

Two of Robertson’s protegees at Stirling are among the top three seeds, Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson teeing off this morning as the No 1-ranked player while Barassie’s Jack McDonald is in the No 3 spot. Splitting the pair is Leven Golfing Society’s Brian Soutar, who showed his liking for match-play when he won the South African Amateur Championship earlier in the year.

McDonald, the top Scot in the world rankings and a semi-finalist in the Amateur Championship at Troon last month, is returning to the Highlands a fortnight after becoming the first home amateur in a decade to make the cut in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart, where he partnered Ernie Els in the final round.

“I took Jack up to Dornoch on the Wednesday of the Scottish Open, partly as I didn’t want him to boil over heading into the event at Castle Stuart,” said Robertson, the 19-year-old’s mentor. “I relived my final against  Raymond Russell for him and gave him some tips on how to play the course.

“Jack will have a great chance of victory, having played so much match-play golf recently and he has learned a lot from his experiences of playing alongside guys like Francesco Molinari, Matteo Manassero and Ernie Els.”

In an event that always throws up a surprise or two, a fascinating first-round tie sees Baberton’s Paul Ferrier, another Amateur Championship semi-finalist and seeded this week, take on James Bunch, the St Andrean who succeeded Stephen Gallacher as the Scottish Boys’ Stroke-Play Championship in 1993.