Golf: West toppled from summit

Of the five matches that went the full distance in their top-of-the-table clash with Fife, the visitors lost the 18th in four of them and halved the other.

“A rubbish hole for us,” was West team manager Jimmy Lamond’s succinct summation of the situation as his side went down 5.5-4.5.

Host-club man James White, last year’s Scottish Order of Merit winner, led the way for the home side. He beat Silverknowes star Graeme Robertson by one hole, the same margin in the match behind, which saw Gary Sharp (St Andrews) come out on top against Turnhouse man Steven Armstrong.

Greenburn’s Gary Corrigan, put West’s first point on the board at the expense of Kevin Blyth, another Lundin man in the home ranks. But victories from Keith Andereson (Charleton) and Cammy Mitchell (Lundin) put Fife on the verge of victory, which was secured as Leven Thistle’s Stuart Hill pipped Mark Timmins (Pumpherston) in another of those matches that went to the 18th.

In the other match in week three of this season’s event, Mid made home advantage count at Duddingston to beat East, also by the narrowest of margins, winning a tense encounter  5.5-4.5.