They may be battling it out for a green jacket over in Augusta but here in Angus, the grisly, maddening conditions could’ve led to mangled golfers being carted off in strait-jackets.
Whether it was in the Scottish Girls’ Open Strokeplay Championship at Monifieth or the Scottish Boys’ Open Strokeplay Championship at Montrose, the young ‘uns grinding their way through the strong winds and jaw-shuddering chill on the east coast demonstrated the kind of sturdy grit that used to be the reserve of the Ancient Mariner.
“Even some of the European Tour players would be averaging a 76 in conditions like this,” suggested the former Ryder Cup player Stephen Gallacher, who braved the elements to watch his teenage son Jack soldier on through the final day.
In the end, the boys’ title was claimed by Germany’s Patrick Schmuecking, although Airdrie’s Greg Dalziel, the reigning Scottish Boys’ Matchplay champion, had a good go at securing a notable title double.
Dalziel signed off with a battling one-over 72 for a seven-over 220 to finish alongside his compatriot, Aaron Hall of Kilspindie.
The Scottish duo came up just a shot shy, however, as Schmuecking held his nerve on the last green to make a par in a 76 and win by a single shot on 219.
Schmuecking, a 16-year-old from Wiesbaden, has made golfing ventures to the UK before to compete in the Scottish under-14 and under-16 events as well as the British Boys’ Championship. “This was probably the toughest conditions I’ve faced though,” he conceded. “It was just a case of survival on that back nine.”
Schmueking’s success completed a double-whammy of German wins at Montrose. A year ago, Hannah Leonie Karg romped to a 10-shot victory in the Scottish Girls’ Open. “This is my first win outside of Germany and is a reward for the work I put in over the winter,” added Schmueking.
In the girls’ event, meanwhile, Ffion Tynan, a 15-year-old from Wales, claimed the biggest win of her blossoming career with a closing one-under 72, which was one of only two sub-par rounds posted on the final day.
For a spell, it was Cumbria’s Natasha Slater who looked like she had the title in her grasp as she opened up a two-shot lead on the back nine.
In the exacting conditions, though, she leaked five shots on her last six holes to open the door to the chasing pack.
Tynan, despite a double-bogey on the 15th, seized the opportunity and a crucial birdie on the 17th pushed her over the winning line as her one-under tally of 218 gave her a two shot triumph.
“I was just hoping to get a top-three finish but I knew I was capable of getting more and I just kept believing in myself," she said.
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