Golf: Inter-Cities Cup in balance as Royal look to bring it home

ROYAL BURGESS will have to overturn a one-point deficit in the return leg at the Barnton to become the first team to lift the Inter-Cities Cup for a second time.

The Capital club went down 5-4 to Cathkin Braes in the first leg through in Glasgow after coming unstuck on a tricky back nine.

The trend was set when Stephen Buckley, the former Scottish Boys' champion, lost the top match to Gordon Sangster after being three up with six holes to play.

Fraser McCluskey, Grant Pollock and John Fraser also lost in matches where local knowledge proved decisive but wins from Grant Hill, Doug Ross, Ian Taylor and Brian Tait made it 4-4 with one match out on the course.

John Yuille was flying the flag for Royal Burgess in that encounter and the end looked nigh as he found himself three down to Alan Welsh with four to play.

Yuille then won three holes in a row only to find trouble off the tee at the last, where a regulation par-4 proved enough to give Welsh the win.

"A draw would have been very good but to find ourselves trailing by just one point after the away leg is acceptable," said team manager Richard Hughes.

The return leg is at the Barnton on Sunday, 11 April.

Results: Cathkin Braes 5, Royal Burgess 4 (Cathkin Braes names first): G Sangster bt S Buckley 2 and 1; M McCrory lost to G Hill 3 and 2; R Vallance bt F McCluskey one hole; C Haugh bt G Pollock two holes; P Jamieson lost to D Ross 4 and 3; A Mathews lost to I Taylor 2 and 1; W Rutherford bt I Fraser 4 and 3; A Fordyce lost to B Tait 4 and 3; A Welsh bt J Yuille one hole.