Tributes paid to Scottish amateur golf legend Gordon Murray

Tributes have been paid to Gordon Murray, one of Scotland's most successful amateur golfers, following his recent death.

Gordon Murray won the Scottish Amateur Championship twice in three years and also reached the final in between those victories

Flying the flag for Fereneze in Renfrewshire, Murray won the Scottish Amateur Championship twice in three years at a time when it was hotly-contested.

He beat Sandy Pirie by 2&1 at Westerm Gailes in 1974 before retaining the title two years later with a 6&5 success over Hugh Stuart over the Old Course at St Andrews.

In between, he got to another final in the Scottish Golf Union event at Montrose before losing 7&6 to David Greig.

Murray also won the Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship at Irvine in 1983, two years before Colin Montgomerie landed that prize.

He played in the 1977 Walker Cup at Shinnecock Hills in a team that also included Sandy Lyle, who represented England at that time.

"They broke the mould with the big guy," said former Scottish Golfer of the Year Scott Knowles of Murray.

"He was the first guy I ever played against with the huge tees..always thought he would go under it but never did!"

Former Scottish Boys champion Alan Tait described Murray as a "larger than life character" while Sandy Stephen, the 1971 Scottish Amateur champion, said he had "many happy memories from playing with and partnering" him.

Also commenting on Facebook, former Scotland internationalist Calum Innes wrote: "Gordon is absolutely one of the most inspirational golfers of my generation. Some of the best advice I ever received was, ‘go and watch Gordon play, he is a proper golfer’."

In addition to his national titles, Murray also won 12 72-hole events on the Scottish circuit, including the Cameron Corbett Vase, Craigmillar Park Open and Scottish Champion of Champions.

In fact, he won just about everything expect the Tennant Cup, which is played at both Glasgow Gailes and Killermont.

"A truly great ball striker," said Ian McCosh, 'Mr Renfrewshire Golf', in his tribute while former Fereneze PGA pro Scott Garrett described Murray as "golfing royalty".

Scottish Golf CEO, Andrew McKinlay, said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Gordon Murray.

"A two-time winner of the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship, Gordon was arguably one of Scotland’s best amateur golfers and had the ability to inspire other golfers across the country both on and off the course.

"The game in Scotland has lost a great role model and the thoughts of everyone at Scottish Golf are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”