Lothians golf round-up: Stroke-Play returns to its roots

The Scottish Open Stroke-Play Championship returns to its roots from tomorrow until Sunday when the Carrick Neill-backed event is held at Gullane.

Clara Young with the Scottish Women's Amateur Championship trophy

It jointly hosted the tournament’s inaugural staging with Muirfield in 1967 when the title was claimed by Bernard Gallacher, before the same two courses hosted it again ten years later.

Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest, Scotland’s top-ranked player, heads the home hopes on this occasion while other Lothians players in the field include Scottish Boys’ champion Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links).

• GolfFit Lothians Junior Championship

Sons of some well-kent faces are among those heading to the Braids on Sunday trying to qualify for the GolfFit Lothians Junior Championship.

Players taking part in the 18-hole stroke-play battle for spots in next week’s match-play phase include Ross Callan and Brodie Good, sons of Stuart and Alasdair, the PGA pros at Bathgate and Gullane respectively.

Also in the line-up is Kyle Murdoch, whose dad Alan is director of golf at Kings Acre, as well as Callum Mackenzie, son of former Scottish champion Simon, and Stephen Gallacher’s boy, Jack.

• Michael Bacigalupo wins Willie Park Open

Longniddry’s Michael Bacigalupo came out on top in a closely-contested Willie Park Open at Musselburgh.

Bacigalupo (69-72) pipped Bruntsfield Links man Stuart McLaren (66-75) by virtue of a better second round after they finished locked together on one-under 141 in the LGA Order of Merit event. Kingsfield’s Jordyn Rhind was third on 142 (71-71) with home hope Benn McLeod tying for fourth the day after he’d shot 65 in a the first round of the club championship qualifier at the Monktonhall course.

• Clara Young eager to defend her crown

Clara Young posted on Twitter last week that she was “going out with a bang” using #lastAmericanfeast as her hashtag as her final meal in the US before returning home the summer.

Now the North Berwick player is ready to get her teeth into defending the Scottish Women’s Amateur Championship at West Kilbride next week.

Young claimed the crown at Monifieth last year, succeeding Craigielaw’s Gabrielle Macdonald, who will be aiming to use experience she’s gained this year on the LET Access Series to reclaim the title.