Golf: Youngster Forrest earns Lothians team call-up

GRANT FORREST, the Scottish Boys' champion, has been named in the Lothians side for the new-look Scottish Area Team Championship at Kinross the weekend after next.

The rising Craigielaw star has proved himself in both stroke-play and match-play and captain Keith Nicholson says the 16-year-old deserves his place in the six-man team.

"Grant has done well in national events," remarked Nicholson, who has also included Mark Timmins, a player who's enjoyed an eye-catching resurgence over the past couple of years.

The Prestonfield member at the time but now at Pumpherston, won the Lothians Championship at Royal Burgess ten years ago before disappearing from the scene for a spell but he's been in outstanding form in a series of friendlies this season.

"If you asked any of the other guys, I'm sure they'd all say Mark has been our best player this year, with his only disappointment coming at the weekend when he failed to qualify for the Lothians Championship," added the captain.

Completing the line up for Kinross are Mark Hillson (Craigielaw), Allyn Dick (Kingsknowe), David Miller (Duddingston) and Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse).

Hillson is the top Lothians player in the world amateur rankings, while Dick, Miller and Armstrong are solid performers.

"We're going there with guys who can all shoot low but also know how to get round when they're maybe not firing on all cylinders," said Nicholson.

"It was a tough job picking this team and someone like Stephen Simants was certainly in contention, as was Stuart Boyle, who probably needed a couple of more events."