Golf: McDonald rolls back the years with senior triumph

A member of Royal Burgess, although he was playing out of home club Dunfermline in this event, Macdonald, who defeated American Tom Kite in the 1971 Walker Cup, shot a level-par 71 in the final round to finish on 213, one ahead of English Senior international Dave Jessup.

Macdonald's Royal Burgess clubmate, Ian Taylor, shared the bronze medal with Kilmacolm's Colin Christy and Glen Macbryde (Stone) on 217.

Going into the final round tied for the lead with Berwick's Dave Millar, Macdonald dropped a shot on the first hole, but recovered his composure with birdies at the 6th, 7th and 13th to open up a commanding lead, as Millar had a day to forget.

Jessup, a six-time gold medallist at the World Speedway, got within touching distance of the lead by holing a superb 40-yard pitch at the par-5 15th for eagle to apply some pressure to Macdonald.

Further drama followed at the 16th when Macdonald's playing partner played his ball by mistake, leading to a dropped shot by the leader.

After parring the 17th, Macdonald found sand with his approach shot to the final green, with a two-shot cushion. An exquisite bunker shot to ten feet gave the 65-year-old two putts for victory, and he made no mistake to clinch the win with a final hole bogey.

Macdonald, who played in the same Walker Cup side as Hugh Stuart, Charlie Green and George McGregor, said: "I was always a very good bunker player – I reckon only Gary Player was better than me in my day – so I was confident on the last hole. I hit a nice shot out and it was good to get round in level par. Hopefully I'll get into the Scotland Seniors Team this year and keep the momentum going from here."

Taylor closed with a 71 to register his best finish in a national event, while Murrayfield's Derek Miller also finished in the top ten after a closing 73. A final-round 78 from Lindsay Gordon dropped the Turnhouse player down to a tie for 21st.

MOIRA THOMSON (Gullane Ladies) lost to eventual winner Fiona de Vries (St Rule) at the 20th in the semi-finals of the Scottish Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Fortrose & Rosemarkie.

VIKKI LAING went into today's third round of the Tenerife Ladies' Open just a shot off the lead after a second-round 68 at Buenavista Golf.

LOTHIANS duo Raymond Russell and Elliot Saltman were the only Scots to survive the cut in The Princess, a Challenge Tour event in Sweden today. Russell shot a second-round 66 for 137, four fewer than Saltman, who had a 70.