Ewan Scott has already claimed one of the world’s most prestigious junior titles at his first attempt, but the youngster from St Andrews had to dig deep to stay in his own national championship at a wet and windy West Kilbride on Monday.
The Madras College pupil, already a scratch player at 14 and rated as one of the best young prospects to come out of the Home of Golf for decades, became the first Scot to win the Reid Trophy the English championship for under-14s at the Kendleshire near Bristol last August.
However at the Scottish Boys Championship he found himself in a battle royal with Martin Scott, a three-handicapper from Hamilton who seemed to have the better of the tie standing at two up with six to play.
Scott fought back to win the next two holes but saw his opponent drain a 35-foot birdie putt on the 16th, only for the Lanarkshire county player to miss a six-footer on the next to set up real drama on the final hole.
Martin was 10 feet inside Ewan in two on the home green but the St Andrian sank his birdie putt from 30 feet only for Martin to follow him in from 20 to keep the match tied.
Finally Ewan’s greater power won him the tie on the second extra hole, driving the green and two-putting for birdie to secure the win.
“It was much tougher than I expected or planned, but I didn’t play my best today and hopefully that’s my bad game out of the way this week,” said Ewan.
Playing on the links at St Andrews and also a member at the Duke’s, Ewan’s victory in England last year was a big signal that he’s set for a big future in the game.
“I just saw it as being a big tournament with the top juniors in Britain if not Europe and that’s the kind of competition I want to play in, so to win was a big thrill,” he said.ObstacleEwan was runner-up in the Scottish Under-14s and third in the Under-16s, and his hopes of moving on this year face a pretty big obstacle in fellow National Academy member Paul McPhee in the second round.
Even if Ewan doesn’t progress beyond the fourth round he reached at Royal Aberdeen last year, such is his early development that he has another four shots at this championship yet to come.
McPhee, the son of former Dundee United and Forfar full-back Ian, is on his last opportunity and won a tight 2 and 1 victory over Kyle Reid of Elderslie.
The top quarter of the draw saw further success for Fife with the New Club’s Josh Jamieson, Calum McKay (Scotscraig) and Craig Wilson (Pitreavie) coming through their opening matches, while McPhee was joined in the second round by fellow Perth and Kinross players Sean Gatsby (Crieff), Charlie Linton (Dunblane New), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) and Stephen Harrower (Kinross).
Monifieth duo Grant Bowman and Scott Smith also moved through, Bowman requiring the full 18 holes before besting Fergus Smith of Paisley while Smith swept aside Jason Duncan (Newmachar) 4 and 3.
There were no real surprises on the first day with the first three nominal seeds (there are no official seedings in the boys’) all coming through.
Reigning strokeplay champion Jack McDonald moved through 6 and 4 against Jordan Shaw (Kingussie), championship backmarker Conor O’Neil of Pollok had some struggles to shake off late entrant Cameron Cunningham 4 and 2, the Royal Mussleburgh player having come in to replace John Henry, the brother of two-time champion Scott.
The toughest test came for Jack Scott from Deeside, who had to battle all the way before winning one up against Callum Gorrie from Kilmarnock Barassie.
Round One
A Young (Garmouth and Kingston) bt C McBride (Peebles) 5 and 4N Clenaghan (Mount Ellen) bt R Boyle (Bathgate) 4 and 3W Kerr (Craigmillar Park) bt S Moore (Greenock Whinhill) 3 and 2P Gordon (Paisley) bt M Anderson (Douglas Park) 4 and 3E Mackay (Craigielaw) bt C MacLean (West Kilbride) 4 and 2J McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt J Shaw (Kingussie) 6 and 4S Harrower (Kinross) bt C Burgess (Musselburgh) 5 and 4B Neil (Blairgowrie) bt R O’Connor (Uphall) 1 holeC Wilson (Pitreavie) bt G Miller (Bathgate) 5 and 4S Hall (East Renfrewshire) bt R Jack (Dumfries and Galloway) 1 holeJ Gallagher (Crow Wood) bt L Pacitti (Sandyhills) 2 and 1C Linton (Dunblane New) bt L alliday (Cardross) 6 and 5P McPhee (King James VI) bt K Reid (Elderslie) 2 and 1E Scott (St Andrews) bt M Scott (Hamilton) at 20thR Hislop (Pines) bt A Loch (Pumpherston) 2 holesB MacDonald (Torrance House) bt J Manson (Oldmeldrum) 2 and 1A Blaney (Liberton) bt J Bryce (Strathaven) 4 and 3S Gadsby (Crieff) bt R Calladine (Dunaverty) 5 and 3M Smith (Troon Welbeck) bt J Innes (Kirkcudbright) 6 and 5K Mustard (Elgin) bt P Timmons (Troon St Meddans) at 19thJ Jamieson (St Andrews New) bt I McDowall (East Kilbride) 4 and 2G Forsyth (Inverness) bt G Caldwell (Inverness) 1 holeJ Scott (East Renfrewshire) bt S Thorburn (Ayr Belleisle) 5 and 4G Roger (Clober) bt P Green (Forres) 1 hole.G Foley (Ralston) bt C Scott (Duddingston) 7 and 5S Gray (West Lothian) bt R Di Murro (Greenock) 3 and 2J Reid (Mount Ellen) bt L Campbell (Baberton) 4 and 2G Bowman (Monifieth) bt F Smith (Paisley) 1 holeG Smail (Craigielaw) bt C Boyd (Lanark) at the 19thS Watt (Old Course Ranfurly) bt C Lamb (Newmachar) 2 holesC O’Neil (Pollok) bt C Cunningham (Royal Musselburgh) 4 and 2E Bradley (Mount Ellen) bt G Balfour (Douglas Park) 4 and 3J Scott (Deeside) bt C Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 1 holeA McDougall (Elderslie) bt C Norman (Dullatur) 2 holesR Campbell (Grangemouth) bt A McMillan (Easter Moffat) at 22ndG Nicoll (Glenbervie) bt J Wright (Forres) 2 and 1S Smith (Monifieth) bt J Duncan (Newmachar) 4 and 3C Kirkwood (Bearsden) bt R Simpson (Bonnyton) 2 and 1C Forbes (Carnwath) bt G Barrowman (Clydebank and District) 3 and 2L Gaughan (Bathgate) bt R Storrier (Downfield) 1 holeA Carrick (Douglas Park) bt S Smith (Deeside) 2 and 1R Wilkie (Greenock) bt G Young (Williamwood) at 19thG Chalmers (Dollar) bt J Milne (Elgin) 3 and 2P Sangster (Thurso) bt L Morgan (Newbattle) at 19thG Ritchie (Troon Welbeck) bt E Robertson (Inchmarlo) 3 and 2E Douglas (Dunblane New) bt J Reid (Drumpellier) 3 and 2C Cromar (Aboyne) bt T Dingwall (Nairn Dunbar) 2 and 1S Costello (Kirkhill) bt M Manson (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) 1 holeA Borg (Penwortham) bt B Todd (Greenburn) 4 and 3A Tillie (Grangemouth) bt J Thorburn (Dunfermline) 4 and 2M Giovannetti (Douglas Park) bt G Paterson (Ranfurly Castle) 2 and 1F Thain (West Linton) bt G Dunsmore (Saline) 2 holesD Docherty (Bonnyton) bt J Savage (Cawder) 2 holesC McKay (Grange) bt A Collier (Balbirnie Park) at 19thN McArthur (Bishopbriggs) bt R Beattie (Hawick) 3 and 1L Johnston (Dumfries and County) bt A Ferguson (Paisley) 1 holeC West (Scotscraig) bt A McLachlan (Bonnyton) 1 holeL McAlpine (Invergordon) bt D Wright (Cathcart Castle) 9 and 8G Stewart (Crieff) bt L Carruthers (Powfoot) 2 holesG Forrest (Craigielaw) bt C Mitchell (Leven Thistle) 3 and 2F Brown (Nairn Dunbar) bt L Chambers (Cardross) 3 and 1J Williams (Castle Douglas) bt A Whyte (St Andrews New) 3 and 2C Porciani (Ayr Belleisle) bt C McLay (Bishopbriggs) 6 and 5S Burgess (Nairn) bt R McKenzie (Troon Welbeck) 4 and 3C Stewart (Brora) bt G Burns (Williamwood) at 19thR Gillan (Torrance House) bt B Gibson (Troon Welbeck) 5 and 4S Wearing (Bishopbriggs) bt N McGregor (Stirling) 1 holeR Gordon (Alford) bt J Nordbo (Largs) 3 and 2J Burrows (Pitlochry) bt A Carrell (Peterculter) 1 holeA O’Donnell (Greenock Whinhill) bt A Wiseman (Fraserburgh) 4 and 3D Thompsett (Aboyne) bt R Munro (Monifieth) 1 holeI Watson (St Andrews) bt A Easton (Strathmore) 3 and 2R Black (Alness) bt S McPherson (Burntisland Golf House) 3 and 2C Beveridge (Troon Welbeck) bt F Sandison (Blairgowrie) 2 holes