Scottish Boys Golf Championship: Six of the best from day four

Win

On a day of comebacks, Peebles player Craig Howie probably produced the best of the lot after finding himself two down with four to go against Colville Park’s Dominic Dougan. But, after winning the 15th with a birdie and the 18th with a par, the Borderer eventually prevailed at the third extra hole. Having also recovered from three down after just six holes in an earlier round, the 17-year-old could be forgiven for starting to think this could well be his lucky week.

Shot

It’s the mark of a good player when they can come up with a game-turning shot under pressure. By his own admission, Ewan Scott hadn’t been firing on all cylinders in his fifth-round tussle with Lochwinnoch’s Paul Reilly until he arrived on the 16th tee. Of a 7-iron that nestled five feet from the hole to set up a crucial birdie, the 16-year-old from St Andrews said: “I’d been waiting for a shot of that quality all day!”

Quote

“I think it’s a match most folk would like to see,” - Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil on his quarter-final encounter with Ewan Scott. According to Neil, it’s a match that has had former top juniors such as Grant Forrest, Jack McDonald and Callum Stewart licking their lips since the pair broke into the Scotland set up. It certainly looked a cracker on paper with the pair being the last two seeds standing heading into the event’s fifth day.

Tactics

Buckpool’s Jake Scott reckoned the match-play format had played a big part in his progress to the last eight. “It doesn’t matter if you have a bad hole,” admitted the colourful character. “If you put twa bas in a bush you only lose a hole and move on!” It’s a sentiment that many will share, having seen scorecards ruined by one poor shot in a stroke-play event.

Inspiration

It may be the Wee County but Clackmannanshire’s players have big ambitions these days on the back of Callum Macaulay winning the Scottish Amateur and going on to become a Tour professional. “Callum is definitely an inspiration for me,” admitted Alva’s Lawrence Allan after booking his last-eight spot. “Just to get to his standard would be a great achievement.”

Gratitude

Connar Cook may be coached mainly these days by Karen Dallas but the 16-year-old from Forfar will always be grateful for the advice given at the start of his golfing career by Jackie Black. “Though retired now, he was the pro at Caird Park in Dundee and taught me since I was three,” said Cook, who has also benefitted in recent years by being a member at Ballumbie Castle.