Golf: Boddie times his birdie run to perfection to beat Bain

DUNBAR’S Michael Boddie birdied three of the last four holes to beat defending champion Lewis Bain from Turnhouse in the first round of the Lothians Boys’ Championship at the Braids.

In the match of the night, the pair traded one birdie for another on the back nine, which Boddie covered in five-under 31.

Bain, the leading qualifier, went from one down after six to two up after ten, but his opponent then moved up a gear.

He won the 11th and 12th with birdies, lost the 14th to a 3 then won the next two, both with birdies. Boddie rolled in a curly 20-footer at the 15th before thumping his drive on to the green at the 16th.

Bain squared the match again by hitting his tee shot to three feet at the short 17th but his reign as champion was ended when Boddie made 3 at the last with a tidy pitch and putt.

Boddie now faces Royal Musselburgh’s Stuart Blair, who won surprisingly comfortably against Anthony Blaney from Liberton.

The outcome in that match was never in doubt really after Blair had come flying out of the traps to be three up after four.

Callum Cochrane, last year’s beaten finalist, came out on top in the all-Dalmahoy affair against 14-year-old clubmate Murray Naismith.

Back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th proved decisive for Cochrane as he set up a second-round clash with Tantallon’s Lewis Reid.

Maintaining the form that had seen him shoot a two-under effort at Luffness New in the US Kids Golf event earlier in the day, Reid steamrollered Craigmillar Park’s Fraser Christie.

Tantallon’s Calum Hill is through to meet Mikey Reid of Turnhouse while the remaining quarter-final tie will involve Longniddry’s Fraser Johnston and Andrew Loch from Pumpherston.

Johnston was two-under in beating Gullane’s Michael Williams, winning three holes in a row from the 12th to clinch a 5 and 4 success.

Loch, who showed his liking for match-play in the Scottish Boys earlier this year, also produced sub-par golf as he accounted for Craigielaw’s Willem Kerr.

First-round results: Calum Cochrane (Dalmahoy) bt Murray Naysmith (Dalmahoy) two holes; Lewis Reid (Tantallon) bt Fraser Christie (Craigmillar Park) 7 and 6; Mikey Reid (Turnhouse) bt Blair McIntosh (Murrayfield) 3 and 2; Calum Hill (Tantallon) bt Daniel Eardley (Liberton) 3 and 3; Stuart Blair (Royal Musselburgh) bt Anthony Blaney (Liberton) 5 and 4; Michael Boddie (Dunbar) bt Lewis Bain (Turnhouse) one hole; Fraser Johnston (Longniddry) bt Michael Williams (Gullane) 5 and 4; Andrew Loch (Pumpherston) bt Willem Kerr (Craigielaw) 4 and 3.