'Life in the old boy yet' - Montrose Links Masters win for 43-year-old

Englishman Mark Young held off last-round charges from home duo Jack McDonald and Liam Johnston to win the Tartan Pro Tour’s season-opening Montrose Links Masters.

Young, a 43-year-old who played on the Challenge Tour in 2019 after earning promotion from the now defunct PGA EuroPro Tour, posted an 11-under-par 202 total to come out on top in an event presented by Montrose Ports Authority.

After following a brace of 69s in the opening two rounds on the Angus coast, the Longridge Golf Club in Lancashire-attached player closed with a 64 that contained seven birdies.

Englishman Mark Young shows off the trophy after winning the Montrose Links Masters presented by Montrose Port Authority | Tartan Pro Tour

In a thrilling last-day battle, both McDonald and Johnston did their best to catch Young after he’d edged ahead of the 36-hole leader, fellow Englishman Arron Edwards-Hill.

McDonald signed off with a brilliant 62 to end up just one behind the winner, with Johnston having also been breathing down his neck before a double-bogey at 17th saw him finish five behind in third place.

“There’s life in the old boy yet,” joked Young, who picked up a cheque for £4500 as he set the early pace in the battle for two cards on the 2026 Hotel Planner Tour, the rebranded name for the Challenge Tour.

“I’m delighted,” he added. “It’s a great way to start the Tartan Pro Tour season, especially as I hadn’t played much over the winter all. So I had zero expectations this week. It was kind of a free hit in my mind.”

Eagle and seven birdies in Jack McDonald’s 62

McDonald’s closing salvo was illuminated by an eagle at the par-5 sixth while his card also contained seven birdies.

“Young Jack wouldn’t go away, would he?” said Young. “But I proved a little bit to myself as a few doubts start to creep in as time goes on, don’t they?

“I’m playing part-time now as I do a little bit of work when I can. The intention is to play the whole season up here and see where that gets me. Ideally, back on to the Challenge Tour - that’s the plan.”

His flying start to the new campaign was set up by an equipment change. “I changed the putter from a blade to a mallet and I didn’t miss much,” said the winner. “No three-putts either, which always helps.”

English interest in Tartan Pro Tour ‘growing’

More than 30 English players teed up in the event, with recent Aberdeen Golf Links Pro-Am winner Nick McCarthy, former DP World Tour player and Edwards-Hill also finishing in the top ten.

“I think the interest is growing from English players and more and more are starting to come up, with the lad I played with today (Edwards-Hill) coming a long way from Ipswich,” observed Young.

“It’s a cheaper way to play this level of golf and a lot cheaper than the Clutch Tour down south. We also play some really good golf courses up here.”

Young played in The Open at St Andrews in 2015 after winning one of the Final Qualifiers at Gailes Links.

“Yeah, ten years ago this year,” he said. Reminded that he had a big group of supporters cheering him on that day, he added: “They’ve kind of dwindled over the years (laughing).”

McDonald, who topped the circuit’s Order of Merit two years ago, picked up £3250 for his effort, with Johnston pocketing £2500.