Will Porter could have picked from a whole host of sports, but he’s now focused on golf and taking out the top seed in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Boys Championship at Dunbar today, writes Steve Scott golf correspondent.
The 17-year-old from Arbroath, who plays out of Carnoustie but often at St Andrews and is a boarder at Glenalmond College in Perthshire, clearly likes to keep his options open.
He could have played cricket, rugby, football and was in the Scotland Under-16 squad for hockey, but the wisdom of following golf is clear after he shot outstanding seven-under figures in beating John Paterson from the New Club in St Andrews seven and five to win a place in the last eight against favourite Calum Fyfe.
The tall Angus County player gave Paterson not a glimpse of a chance by sweeping to a four-up lead with five birdies and a concession on the front nine.
His seventh birdie of the afternoon in the glorious and unseasonal warm sunshine closed out the match.
“I played really well last week to share the win at the first SGU Junior Series event at Longniddry, so I’ve felt pretty good about this week,” he said.
“I know John from playing at St Andrews, where my dad is a member, and I was looking forward to playing him.”
Will is on a scholarship at Glenalmond for his general sports ability rather than just golf, but that’s the sport he intends to follow.
“I played a few sports but golf’s my focus now,” he said.
“I do all right at school but I’d like to play golf for a living if I can.”
Will is in the lowest tier of the Scottish Golf Union Academy structure while Fyfe, who beat another Scotland squad member in Marc Watt, is in the men’s top tier, having been on the senior squad winter coaching trips to Dubai and South Africa.
“I played with Calum at Longniddry and really enjoyed it, so I’m looking forward to taking him on tomorrow,” added Will.
Seasoned veterans of the Scottish Boys cannot recall weather as benign as this and yesterday only a slight cooling breeze got up off Dunbar Bay to make conditions just less than absolutely perfect for June, much less the first full week in April.
The weather might even be better than in China, where Paul Lawrie has twice now postponed his flight for next week’s Shenzhen International as son Michael has battled through to the last eight.
The 16-year-old younger son of the 1999 Open champion needed 38 holes yesterday to do it, going to the first extra hole in both fourth and fifth rounds, but demonstrating a good deal of resilience in doing so.
Twice he led coming down the stretch only to be hauled in, first by Edzell’s Aidan Smith actually a Lawrie Foundation player and then in the afternoon against Mark Napier (Turnhouse), yet rebounded to win the first extra hole and progress, changing his father’s flight plans a third time.
“I was originally flying on Friday, then it was Saturday, now it’s definitely Sunday,” said Paul.
“I had some business meetings in China on Monday but I’ve put them back because I’ve got two weeks there.
“He’s swinging it brilliantly. He gave up a few holes both in the morning and afternoon, but that happens in matchplay, and the other guys played well and took some back off him.”
Michael now meets another Lothians player in Ross Callan, from the Bathgate club of the Aberdonian’s colleague Stephen Gallacher.
In the other two quarter-finals, Thomas Foster of Merchants of Edinburgh meets Ronan Higgins (Loretto School) while Andrew Thomson (Lanark) takes on Kieran Cantley (Liberton).