Callum is last local hope standing !

Last Gullane Junior, Anthony Blaney fell in the Fifth round in an edgy game, losing by one hole to John Scott of East Renfrewshire - a good run but no doubt "what could have been ..." 

Welbeck's Wilson Sets Sights on Repeating Stewart's Boys Success

14/04/11

 
Warm sunshine greeted the players on day four at Dunbar (PHOTO: KENNY SMITH) 
Liam Johnston is through to the last eight (PHOTO: KENNY SMITH)

Troon Welbeck’s David Wilson battled back to win a place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Boys Championship and set his sights on replicating club-mate Michael Stewart’s success in the event three years ago.

Wilson, winner of the last two Ayrshire Boys Match Play Championships, bounced back from being three down after four holes to record a narrow one-hole win over Sean Burgess from Nairn. The 16-year-old had never been past the second round in his previous two attempts in the SGU’s flagship junior event, but is now just two games away from the final.

“I’m delighted to reach this stage of the competition and I’ve been playing some nice golf this week,” said a thrilled Wilson. “There’s a few good players coming through from Troon Welbeck just now and Michael (Stewart) has spurred us all on. We often practice together and he’s given me some good advice, telling me to believe in myself which I have done this week.” he added.

Lincolnshire Junior Champion Connor Marsland now stands between Wilson and a place in the semi-finals after he overcame Craig Ross – conqueror of defending champion Grant Forrest this morning – by an emphatic 4 and 3 margin. Marsland, who qualifies for the event through his Scottish grandmother Joan, got off to a flying start, racing to a four-hole lead after seven holes, but Ross fought back to narrow the deficit to one hole around the turn. Ross’s fightback was short-lived however and pars at 13, 14 and 15 were good enough to close the game out.

St Andrews youngster Ben Kinsley enjoyed a comfortable 6 and 5 win over Cameron Mitchell to set up a quarter-final match with Nairn Dunbar’s Craig Oram and the Madras College fourth year pupil admitted his surprise at the lack of success among the ‘Home of Golf’ players in the event:

“I would have expected more St Andrews players to have won this event as we’re used to playing in windy conditions like we’ve had this week. It’s only my second Scottish Boys championship but I’m playing some decent golf and not performing not too badly.” said a modest Kinsley.

Liam Johnston, who reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish Amateur Championship just down the coast at Gullane last summer, is through to the last eight after recovering from a late blip to beat young Fifer Andrew Davidson. Johnston was two up with four holes to play before losing 15 and 16 as the match drew level, but a bogey-bogey finish was good enough to seal the match.

North Berwick High pupil Callum Hill (Tantallon) eagled the first for the second time today en route to a convincing 5 and 4 victory over Mount Ellen’s Eamon Bradley and he will now place Dumfries and County’s Greig Marchbank, who edged out Jack Brown (Cathcart Castle).

The first of Friday’s quarter-final matches tee-off at 8.00am with the semi-finals taking in the afternoon at 12.45 and 1.00pm.

Click here for hole-by-hole scores from Thursday’s fifth round at Dunbar.