Golf: Hillson back on form with tie for fifth in SE District Open

CRAIGIELAW'S Mark Hillson led the Lothians challenge in an exciting South East District Open at Mortonhall.

Hillson, a quarter-finalist in last year's Amateur Championship, has been struggling to fire on all cylinders this season.

But he has given himself something to work on over the winter after tying for fifth in the concluding event of this year's SGU Order of Merit. In testing conditions, Hillson closed with rounds of 73 and 72 for a four-round total of 288, just two shots off the winning total.

Two players posted that but the title went to Balbirnie Park's Scott Stewart-Cation, who beat fellow Fifer Greg Paterson (St Andrews New) at the second extra hole in a play-off.

The first hole was halved in bogeys before Stewart-Cation, a 22-year-old, sealed his success at the next.

Allyn Dick, the Lothians champion from Kingsknowe, and Silverknowes star Graham Robertson, the newly-crowned Lothians Order of Merit winner, finished just behind Hillson in a tie for seventh on 290.

Mortonhall man Greg Nicolson had the wind taken out of his sails by a bogey, double-bogey finish to his opening round. But he wasn't disgraced in tying for tenth with Dunbar's Stephen Neilson, who was only two off the lead at the halfway stage only to see his title hopes destroyed by a third-round 80.

None of the players in with a chance of toppling Scottish champion Michael Stewart from No.?1 spot on the SGU Order of Merit were able to make their presence felt in the Capital.

Peterhead's Philip McLean, lying second in the rankings, tied for 14th on 294, a shot behind Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay, with Peter Latimer (St Andrews New) finishing 22nd on 300.