Golf: Carrickvale get back to winning ways

TWO months after losing their grip on the Dispatch Trophy, Carrickvale have chalked up a first-ever success in the Lothians Team Tournament.

They claimed the title and a place in the Scottish Club Championship later in the year in a tightly-fought contest at West Lothian and Linlithgow.

Both Carrickvale and Pumpherston finished with aggregates of 285, one less than Dunbar in third place. But the honours went to Carrickvale by virtue of their better nine-holes scores over all four of the counting rounds.

Craig Elliot shot a 66 at West Lothian, where Carrickvale's other representative, David Ewen, had a 77.

And, at Linlithgow, Lothians champion Allyn Dick carded an equally impressive 67 to go with a 75 from Michael Kanev, a Bulgarian who joined Carrickvale after moving to Edinburgh.

"I wouldn't say it softens the blow of losing the Dispatch Trophy, but it is nice to win another title for the club," said Dick.

"We're now looking forward to playing in the Scottish Club Championship at Fortrose & Rosemarkie later in the year and feel we could have a good chance in that."

Paul Drake led the way for Pumpherston with a 66 at Linlithgow, where Mark Timmins had a 71, while Jim Cleghorn and Ross Burnside signed for 75 and 73 respectively at West Lothian.

Temple, represented by Keith Millar, Robert Binnie, Iain Stavert and David Graham, lifted the non-course owning trophy with 302, three less than Hailes.