Allyn Dick becomes just fourth player to do double in Lothians Championship

Kingsfield’s Allyn Dick is the new Lothians champion after becoming just the fourth player to claim the title as the leading qualifier.

Kingfield's Allyn Dick with the Edinburgh Evening News Trophy after his title triumph at Mortonhall.

The multiple Scottish Mid-Amateur champion joined Stuart Middleton (1990), Lee Morgan (2016) and Connor Wilson (2020) in the elite club to do the double with a polished performance at Mortonhall.

It is the second time that Dick has landed the Lothians title, having a Kingsknowe member when he came out on top in the match-play phase in 2010.

Despite the fact he hadn’t played at Mortonhall for a number of years, Dick shot rounds of 73 and 66 in the stroke-play qualifying to get his hands on the Stuart Cup for a record fourth time.

Allyn Dick receives the Stuart Cup from Lothians President Jean McNab after winning it for a record fourth time.

He had been eight-under par in that second round, saying: “It might very well have been the best I played in a long time, especially given some of the dodgy pin positions.

“I had a couple of bad swings on 13 and 14 for bogey and double, but managed a birdie at 16 to shoot six-under.”

He opened the knock-out stage with a 3&2 win over Graeme Reid, but only after admitting: “I can honestly say it may have been the most nervous I’ve ever been on a golf course - for no other reason than the ‘curse’ of leading qualifier hasn’t been kind to me!”

Dick then overcame host club player Andrew Hogg 3&2 in the last eight to set up a semi-final clash with defending champion Wilson.

Babrtton's winning team in the Midlothian Ladies' Inter-Club Tournament at Glencorse.

“That was the best I played all week, given the wind, pin positions and quality of opponent,” he said of winning that one 4&2, admitting he’d been impressed by his opponent in the process.

“A nicer young man you will never meet, a credit to himself, club and the Stephen Gallacher Foundation,” he said of Wilson.” I have no doubt some big wins are just round the corner.”

Dick’s opponent in the final was Bathgate’s Scott McCandless, who had defeated Stuart Blair, Gareth Pugh and Craig Davidson to go one better than his semi-final appearance in both 2019 and 2020.

After being three up through four, Dick found himself back to all square with four holes to go before eventually coming out on top by two holes after finding himself playing the 18th hole for the first time.

“An incredible week all round, breaking the Stuart Cup record, doing the double and, with it being the centenary staging, it doesn’t get much better than that,” said Dick.

“A massive thanks goes to all at Mortonhall for giving up their wonderful golf course for us and it was in truly outstanding condition.”

The new champion praised the support he receives from both James Kerr of Gasology Scotland and Kingsfield owner Robert Arkley, saying of the latter: “Housing the Lothians trophy for a year should be fun for him!”

Meanwhile, the postponed final of the 2021 Midlothian Ladies Inter-Club Tournament was finally played at Glencorse, having been postponed due to bad weather in May.

On a glorious evening, Baberton claimed the crown after beating Mortonhall by 2&1 in a closely-contested title decider.

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