Golf: Kingsknowe top group after hard-fought victory

What was a fourth win a row for Kingsknowe moved them to the top of Section D, though Newbattle have games in hand.

“It is shaping up well, with our section looking like one of the most exciting, with ourselves, Liberton and Newbattle seemingly fighting it out for the top two places,” said Kingsknowe team manager Bill Buchan.

“However, the other teams (Craigmillar Park, Lothianburn and Prestonfield) still have a big say in this as it may well go right down to the wire.”

Liberton had made home advantage count when these two teams met earlier in the season and they also gave a good account of themselves on this occasion.

Willem Kerr drew first blood for the visitors, the teenager bagging four birdies on the outward nine on his way to a 4 and 3 win over Steve McCulloch.

But Paul Page and Allyn Dick both maintained their 100 per cent records for Kingsknowe this season by beating John Hunter and David Kerr respectively.

Dick rounded off his latest win in style, the former Lothians champion holing from a greenside bunker at the 15th to secure a 4 and 3 success.

Graeme Fraser also won for the home side, against Gary Scott, before Anthony Blaney put Liberton’s second point on the board. The Scottish boys’ international birdied the tenth and 14th and completed the holes played in one-under as he got the better of Andy Rowe.

Ross Munro also won for the visitors, beating Dougie Morton, but a victory from Gary Malone over Scott Finlay at the bottom of the order kept Kingsknowe in front with one game left on the course.

In that, Marc Cairnie and Robert Jack both made excellent birdies the 17th then, after Jack had almost holed his second shot at the last, Cairnie got down in two putts for a half.

In the only other match played, Turnhouse beat Torphin Hill but certainly didn’t get it all their own way as the visitors put up a spirited fight.

Troy O’Connor, Brian Forbes and Kevin Matthews all won for Torphin Hill, though they all came at the bottom of the order.

With Lee McCathie, Neil Anderson, Lewis Bain, Tommy Cadger and Andrew Young winning at the top of that, Turnhouse still picked up the points with a 5-3 triumph.

Section C

Turnhouse 4…, Torphin Hill 3…: L McCathie bt E Smith 3 and 2; N Anderson bt D Morrans 5 and 4; L Bain bt W Wildgoose 7 and 5; T Cadger bt M Steven 3 and 2; A Young bt A Herriot 5 and 3; G Leitch lost to T O’Connor one hole; S Robb lost to B Forbes 2 and 1; D Black lost to K Matthews 6 and 5.

Section D

Kingsknowe 4…, Liberton 3…: S McCulloch lost to W Kerr 4 and 3; P Page bt J Hunter 4 and 3; A Dick bt D Kerr 4 and 3; G Fraser bt G Scott 5 and 4; A Rowe lost to A Blaney 3 and 2; M Cairnie halved with R Jack; D Morton lost to R Munro 5 and 4; G Malone bt S Finlay 3 and 2.