Meldrum House Golf Club’s Matt Clark has clinched the North-east District Order of Merit for the second time.
Matt, 41, produced a strong string of performances after winning the Phillips Trophy at the start of the season.
Bank manager Matt excelled at Duff House Royal, Fraserburgh, the North-east District Open, Banchory and Royal Aberdeen to build a 148-point aggregate.
It gave him a 53-point advantage over runner-up Gavin Still, of Duff House Royal, as he repeated his order of merit win of three years ago.
Matt said: “Naturally, I’m delighted to win again this year.
“I really feel the North-east District Golf Association is committed to offering improved competition to its low handicap players and indeed golfers in general.
“The conditions included within the Order of Merit offer opportunities for those wishing to just play 18 hole opens, all the way up to those wanting to test themselves over a 72-hole event.
“As players we get to play some really enjoyable, challenging and different courses across the year and on behalf of all players I’d say thanks to the courses for continuing to put events on and all the sponsors involved.
“However, it was not a season I will remember that fondly for the most part as my golf was inconsistent and quite a way off the standards I have set for myself.
“But being successful in this Order of Merit event gives me a little added cheer headed into the off-season.”
Trump victory just Craig’s latest championship win
Craig Wilkinson had to end a six-year wait to become a club champion again… but finally found success again at Trump International.
“It maybe took a while,” said operations engineer Craig, “but I was very pleased to be crowned Trump International champion knowing my name will be on the winners’ board there after winning at Craibstone in 2016.
“I qualified in third place for the Trump matchplay stages after rounds of 78 and 79, before defeating Gavin Duncan 1 up after a tight game and good standard.
“The semi-final was against a good friend John Borthwick, who I play a lot of golf with, so it was nice to record a 5&4 victory over him.
“I was also satisfied by how I played in the final against Gary Cooper.
“I won 6&4 after one birdie and 13 pars for the 14 holes before the match ended.”
Craig won the Craibstone club crown in successive years from 2015, but also won the Newburgh club championship in 2010.
Originally from Blyth in Northumberland, Craig recorded other club championship victories there.
Craig added: “I’ve really enjoyed my golf this year and have got my handicap down to +1.4, which is the lowest it has been for about 18 years.”
Could we see Torphins’ Greig Hutcheon on PGA Champions Tour?
Greig Hutcheon is a step closer to earning a US PGA Champions Tour card next season.
Torphins-based Greig, a three-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, finished ninth of 17 qualifiers at CasaBlanca, Mesquite in Nevada.
Greig, 49, carded a four-under total of 284 after rounds of 75, 71, 69 and 69.
Australian Richard Green, a three-time European Tour winner, was a runaway winner on 21-under 267, with former Scottish Open champion Jeev Milkha Singh third on seven-under 281.
The final qualifying stage is at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona from Tuesday December 6.
Meanwhile, I was delighted watching on as Aberdeen’s Richie Ramsay and David Law earned top-20 places at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai behind triumphant Spaniard Jon Rahm.
David carded a bogey-free six-under 66 in his final round to move from 37th up to a share of 20th.
Richie’s last round of two-under 70 maintained his hold of 16th spot.
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