Marcus Kinhult leaves rivals trailing in his wake

SWEDEN’S Marcus Kinhult was helped by a round reckoned to be “one of the all-time best in amateur golf” as he recorded an impressive wire-to-wire win in the Lytham Trophy.

Bradley Neil: Finished ninth. Picture: Getty

Five ahead at halfway before seeing his advantage rise to nine with a round to go, the world No 2 didn’t enjoy the procession that looked to be on the cards over the last 18 holes at Royal Lytham.

However, a closing 72 for a level-par total of 280 was still good enough to secure an eight-shot victory over three players, including Cormac Sharvin, who has seen his game come on leaps and bounds in recent years at Stirling University, where he is a Sports Studies scholar.

It was an impressive performance from Kinhult, who has certainly earned a new fan in Barry Hume as the Scot found himself among those trailing in the Scandinavian’s wake at the Open Championship venue.

“Today we played all of its 7,118 yards,” said Hume, a former Scottish Amateur champion, of Saturday’s second round. “We were playing 3-woods into par-3s and par-4s and 4-irons for third shots into par-5s. His 69 today must be on the all-time best amateur rounds category. He was even +3 after 3. Amazing.”

Fourth heading into the final round, Bradley Neil closed with a 75 to finish ninth on 293 – two shots ahead of compatriots Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie) and Scott Gibson (Southerness) after they both signed off with 72s.

Third a year ago, Neil’s record on the course is encouraging if he decides to stay in the amateur ranks until the Walker Cup at the Lancashire venue in September. Of the other main Scottish contenders for that event, Ewen Ferguson finished joint-28th but Daniel Young and Graeme Robertson both missed the cut.