Scottish strokeplay: Once again French leave with the trophy

Golf Correspondent

Monday 4 June 2012

The Auld Alliance is alive and well in Ayrshire.

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Nick Rodger

Two years after his fellow Frenchman, Romain Wattel, captured the Carrick Neill Scottish Open Strokeplay title at Gailes, Paul Barjon emulated the feat at nearby Barassie last night.

The 19-year-old strung together closing day rounds of 73, 68 for a 10-under aggregate of 282 and won by four shots from Australia's Rory Bourke and the fast finishing South African, Haydn Porteous.

"This would certainly be the biggest win of my career," said Barjon, one of 18 Frenchman in the field. "A team of us came here to play Prestwick, Royal Troon and Gailes two months ago and that has really paid off."The French have certainly taken a fancy to golf in Scotland. Philipe Ploujoux won the Amateur Championship at St Andrews in 1981 while Francois Illouz won this title in 1989 and Gregory Bourdy took the Scottish Youths' crown in 2002.Throw in the Scottish Open wins on the European Tour of Thomas Levet and Gregory Havret in 2004 and 2007, as well as the Ladies' Scottish Open successes of Gwaldys Nocera in 2008 and Virginie Clement-Lagoutte in 2010, and you have a fairly impressive French connection.Barjon's victory was achieved with a late surge. One over through seven and playing catch-up, he holed a 15-footer for birdie on the eighth to spark a thrust which led to five more birdies on a superbly assembled inward half. "I've played the back-nine well all week," added Barjon, who covered that particular stretch in 12 under over the 72 holes. Porteous, who led after day one but dropped away with rounds of 75 and 78, finished eagle-birdie-birdie in a 68 for 286 and hauled himself back up into a share of second.Matt Stieger, who led at the halfway point of the closing round, saw his ambitions scuppered with a crippling double-bogey on the 12th in a 73 and had to settle for fourth on 287.Dumfries teenager Greig Marchbank marked his debut in the event with a tie for eighth on 290, but Downfield's Ross Bell, who led at halfway and was just a shot off the pace after 54 holes, crumbled to an 80 which included a 9 on the 12th, and he trudged in with a 293 total.

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Scottish strokeplay: Once again French leave with the trophy

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