Boys’ Open champion is 18-year-old Nicky Maddison of Newcastle City GC who beat St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association member and Scottish Under 16 strokeplay champion Ian Redford (King James VI) by 4 and 2 in their Old Course final.
He takes a title that was won three years ago by Chris Wood, who recently finished fifth at The Open and won the Silver Medal as top amateur. This was Nicky’s fourth title of the season following on from his victories in the Northumberland Under-18 Strokeplay and Junior Mathchplay competitions and the Fenwick-Smith Trophy.
Maddison was playing a fourth Boys’ Open. He previously reached the semi final of the handicap competition and had been unlucky to draw the eventual winner in two other attempts. Accurate approach play in the difficult weather conditions saw Nicky miss only eight greens in his six rounds.
The Northumbrian now goes on to take up a golf scholarship at Hutchinson College in Kansas.
The Murray Mitchell Trophy in the handicap competition was won by Matthew Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire) with a 2 and 1 win over Sam Mcneil (Inchmarlo).
Leading qualifier was Andrew Gibson (Arcot Hall) who scored a 65 on the Eden Course.
The winner of the David Ayton Cup was Alex Gems (Malden), pictured left. The two-handicapper made up for narrowly missing out on the strokeplay stages by scoring a superb 61 on the par 69 Strathtyrum Course.
His round featured birdies at 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17, with bogeys at 3 and 13. He needed only ten putts in his back nine of 30.
Alex's father, Chris, was runner up in the 1971 Boys' Open.
Junior Ladies’ Open champion is Katy McNicoll (Carnoustie) who won the Golf Monthly Trophy with an eagle at the second extra hole to overcome Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Katy was the best qualifier for the matchplay stages, carding a 68 on the Strathtyrum in round one. Her good form continued throughout the competition as it moved on to the Eden Course and then the Old, not playing beyond the sixteenth hole in the knock-out rounds before the final.
Katy is the sister of current Links Trophy winner Keir McNicoll.
The Girls’ Open Quaich went to Alexis Hutton (Falkirk Tryst) who beat Lianna Bailey (Rushcliffe) by 3 and 1. The Links Trust Quaich stableford competition was won by Rachael Watton of Mortonhall.
