19 former Lothians champions to gather at Royal Burgess

Royal Burgess will be the venue for an Open-style ‘Celebration of Champions’ this weekend.
Kingsfield's Allyn Dick, the 2021 winner, will be among the past champions attending this Saturday's LGA gathering at Royal Burgess. Picture: LGAKingsfield's Allyn Dick, the 2021 winner, will be among the past champions attending this Saturday's LGA gathering at Royal Burgess. Picture: LGA
Kingsfield's Allyn Dick, the 2021 winner, will be among the past champions attending this Saturday's LGA gathering at Royal Burgess. Picture: LGA

It has been organised to celebrate the centenary of the Lothians Golf Association, albeit a year late because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

LGA centenary committee chairman Allan Shaw managed to locate 46 of the 48 surviving winners of the Edinburgh Evening News Lothians Championship Trophy.

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That has paved the way for 18 of them to be heading to Royal Burgess on Saturday for a gathering to coincide with the conclusion of this year’s event.

The attendees include Hugh Campbell (Carrickvale) and Archie Lourie (Duddingston), the winners in 1962 and 1963 respectively, with the latter travelling to Edinburgh from Yorkshire.

Lothians legend George Macgregor, who landed the title in 1968, will also be there along with most of the recent champions over the past 20 years.

They include Duddingston’s Stuart Smith, who won the event four times, including three in a row from 1993-95.

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Three-time Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallcher, who won in 1967, and US-based David Kirkpatrick, the champion 20 years later, are among those who sent their apologies.

In the latest edition, leading qualifier Richard Gill is through to the last eight tonight, when he faces Barrie Lewis.

Also still standing are Graham Currie, Stuart Blair, Craig Davidson, Graham Robertson, Connor Wilson and host club member John Fraser.

Also held over due to the pandemic, the LGA’s Centenary Grand Final at Bruntsfield Links was won by Grant Edkins (Bank of Scotland).

He also joined forces with Willie Edgar to land the team title while the handicap honours went to Binivell’s Graham Roberts.

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