St Andrews Links Trust

ANNUAL TOURNAMENTS

St Andrews Links Trophy 2008

I Keir: McNicoll assembles Links Trophy win

In one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen in the competition Keir McNicoll capped a superb final round 68 with a last hole birdie to snatch the St Andrews Links Trophy from under the watching eyes of Frenchman Rudy Thuillier (Ormesson, France) and young Scot Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) both of whom came up one shot shy of Keir’s five under par total of 283.

‘It’s unbelievable, but I just had a feeling that it was going to be my day,’ said the 24-year-old Carnoustie golfer, who finished third two years ago. ‘It’s my biggest win by some distance.’

Sam Hutsby (Westhook) was fourth on 285 with Rhein Gibson (River Oaks, USA) and Ben Westgate (Trevose) sharing fifth a shot further back. Callum Macaulay led at halfway, winning the Ian Forbes Memorial Trophy after rounds of 66 on the Jubilee and 71 on the Old.

McNicoll, last year’s Scottish Amateur Champion, lost a final day showdown with Oliver Fisher in 2006 but that experience provided him with the knowledge to close out this year’s event: ‘I knew how to handle myself this time,’ he said.

Thullier’s morning round of 68 was nine better than McNicoll managed and it gave him a one shot lead with one round to play. At that stage McNicoll was four shots back.

McNicoll started the final round erratically, carding a front nine of four birdies, a bogey, a double bogey and three pars for an outward 35. Thuillier meanwhile stood one under for his round after the tenth: still four ahead of McNicoll.

However, the flying Frenchman was brought down to earth after mistakes at 11 and 12 cost him three shots to par. Two hours later, McNicoll birdied them both.

Thuillier got a shot back at the fourteenth and finished with a 73. McNicoll knew one shot picked up in the final six holes would be enough for victory.

Choosing to lay up just short of the greens and putting beautifully to hole side, his tactics paid off from the thirteenth to the seventeenth. A towering drive bolstered by a strong south westerly wind almost made the green at eighteen. Playing up from the Valley of Sin to seven feet, McNicoll sank the putt to his evident delight as he punched the air in a Seve-style celebration.

He might have been especially relieved having just seen Michael Stewart ahead of him birdie the seventeenth and eagle the last to draw level with Thuillier.

That was a fantastic end to Stewart’s first visit to the Old Course. The 18-year-old Scottish Boys’ Champion is highly rated and about to start a four year scholarship at East Tennessee State.

For McNicoll, the future will see him take a shot at the European Tour qualifying school after missing last year’s event through injury.

In his speech after the event, McNicoll paid a generous compliment to the organisers of the event, saying the St Andrews Links Trophy is ‘the best run tournament we play.’

Best finishers
Keir McNicoll (Carnoustie) 67 71 77 68 283
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck) 68 71 76 69 284
Rudy Thuillier (Ormesson, France) 71 72 68 73 284
Sam Hutsby (Liphook) 71 71 70 73 285
Rhein Gibson (River Oaks, USA) 71 73 72 70 286
Ben Westgate Trevose 71 69 73 73 286

Round One results in full

Round Two results in full

Final results

Round One, Jubilee Course SSS 73, CSS 73
Round Two, Old Course SSS 75, CSS 75
Round Three, Old Course SSS 75, CSS 76
Round Four, Old Course SSS 75, CSS 76