Golf: Macgregor hails Stewart and Gullane tournament

Macgregor, the former Walker Cup player and captain, was in East Lothian throughout last week in his role as the SGU's Director of Championships.

He also refereed the first 18 holes of Saturday's two-round final, which saw Troon Welbeck's Stewart beat Jordan Findlay from Fraserburgh by 3 and 2 to lift the title.

"The quality of the golf all week was very good," said the Glencorse man, who played in the event on the same course in 1983, the year after he'd lost in the final to Charlie Green.

"At one point, I was out at the ninth green, where players were hitting 3 or 4 irons in, yet I didn't see a single person miss the green."

On the final, Macgregor, who took over as the head of the SGU's excellent tournament staff at the start of the year, added: "The ball-striking of both players was very impressive and some of the iron play in particular was tremendous. At the 11th hole in the morning, Michael Stewart hit a driver and then, from 170 yards, a 9-iron on to the green.

"Then, at the par-5 15th, he was on in two with a driver and a 5-iron. He didn't even look up after hitting his second as he knew he was going to reach the green."

The event was the fourth time Gullane had played host to the men's national championship and it was given a huge thumbs-up from players and officials alike. The whole atmosphere around the club and the village is excellent," added Macgregor. "It also helped that we had a good week's weather."

Stewart, who was four up at the halfway stage before holding off two afternoon fightbacks from Findlay, revealed he'd been working on shaping the shots he'd need at Gullane.

"I knew from playing here once before that you have to be able to work the ball both ways and that's what I concentrated on in the build-up to the event," said the new champion.

Next year's event is at Western Gailes. However, the SGU caravan will be rolling back into East Lothian next April, when Dunbar stages the Scottish Boys' Championship.