New professional Boyle hopes for a happy homecoming

BELFRY-BASED Stuart Boyle has returned home this week to make his first appearance as a golf pro on Scottish soil.

The former Harburn star is in the line-up for the Scottish Young Professionals’ Championship, which teed off today at West Lothian. “I’m looking forward it,” said Boyle, a former Scottish Under-16 cap. “It’s an event I always wanted to play in and it’s great that it’s being staged so close to home.

“I played West Lothian a lot in league matches and also in Lothians events as well.”

Boyle, who won the Midlands qualifier for the British Assistants earlier in the year, is hoping his game is coming back to the boil again.

“I’ve not been playing too great lately but it’s coming together again on the back of a couple of lessons I had,” he added.

Former Walker Cup player David Patrick defends the title he won by seven shots at the same venue last season.

The field also includes on-form West Linton man Gareth Wright and Dunbar’s Neil Fenwick, who finished third in last week’s Northern Open. With Mark Kerr also playing, hopes are high for a Lothians winner.