Burgess in the pink after success of shot in the dark

With the scores locked at 4…-4…, John Yuille and Ally Ritchie had to go to extra holes to decide the outcome and, in farcical conditions, a par-4 from the former at the 20th clinched victory for the Barnton side on home turf.

“There was no real pleasure in this for us as it was decided in pitch dark,” said Royal Burgess team manager Richard Hughes. “As happy as we are to be in the semi-finals I feel really sorry for a very good Bruntsfield team that lost in ridiculous circumstances. Unfortunately, there was no other way of separating the sides.”

Earlier, Yuille had produced a sublime pitch and putt at the 17th to square the match then holed from 12 feet at the first extra hole to keep the match alive. In another tight affair at the bottom of the order, Bruntsfield’s Zander Culverwell also got up and down at 17 for a half in par then birdied the last against Sandy Gray to tie the scores. The reward for Royal Burgess is a last-four clash tomorrow against Dalmahoy at West Linton.

Maintaining the form they’d shown in the group stage, Dalmahoy progressed with a thumping 8…-… home win over Glencorse, last year’s beaten finalists. In the other semi-final – also being played tomorrow, though at Royal Burgess – Mortonhall take on West Linton after they both made home advantage count in the last eight.

Mortonhall won 7-2 against Swanston New, with father and son Ian and Mark Dickson coming out on top against brothers Ross and Scott Fergus in two family clashes. “It was another strong performance by us, albeit I believe Swanston had some regular players missing,” said Mortonhall team manager Graeme Stark.

West Linton won 6-3 against Turnhouse, team captain Simon Mackenzie leading the way with a fine win over Scott Young. The former Scottish Amateur champion was eight-under for the 15 holes played, having bagged two eagles and five birdies.

Sean O’Brien also recorded a good victory for the home side, winning the last three holes to beat Lewis Bain, who had shown his liking for the West Linton course by claiming the scratch prize in the Junior Open there with a 65.

Dalmahoy 8…, Glencorse …: R Carson bt A Shanks 2 and 1; D Hunter bt S McGarvie one hole; S Smith bt G Reid 7 and 6; K Messer halved with D Thomson; D Marshall bt I Melville 4 and 2; S Cochrane bt C Clark 2 and 1; I Wilson bt S Reid 4 and 2; I Campbell bt A Wight one hole; S Phillips bt N Shillinglaw 2 and 1.

West Linton 6, Turnhouse 3: S Mackenzie bt S Young 4 and 3; K Holdsworth bt D Imrie one hole; S Smith lost to T Cadger one hole; K Mail lost to S Armstrong two holes; S O’Brien bt L Bain one hole; S Walters lost to O McCrone two holes; J McWilliams bt D Black 3 and 1; N Barr bt D Thorburn 4 and 3; S Walker bt G Leitch 5 and 4.

Mortonhall 7, Swanston New 2: J Kennedy bt R Muir 3 and 2; M Dickson bt R Fergus 7 and 6; G Nicolson bt M Campbell 2 and 1; M Hopley bt J Bell 9 and 8; M Fitheridge lost to A Ellis 2 and 1; B Ross bt A Campbell 7 and 6; S James lost to K Brown 3 and 2; I Dickson bt S Fergus 5 and 3; C Timms bt K Liddle one hole.

Royal Burgess 4…, Bruntsfield Links 4…: S Buckley bt A Anderson 3 and 2; J Ross lost to K Cattanach 4 and 3; B Tait lost to D Simpson 5 and 4; I Taylor bt K MacKenzie 4 and 2; F McCluskey bt D Wallace 3 and 2; J Fraser llst to J Liddel 2 and 1; J Yuille halved with A Ritchie; D Ross bt D Livingston 6 and 5; S Gray lost to Z Culverwell two holes.