Grangemouth golf course hosts national championship

The local club welcomes the Scottish Boys’ Area Team Championship on Sunday (June 5), one of Scottish Golf’s national championship events.

Scotland’s 16 area associations will compete for the prestigious title, with each area represented by their four leading under-18 boys’ players. Players will enjoy a practice round on Saturday before Sunday’s competition.

First held in 1977, the reigning champions are the Lothians, who claimed a five-stroke success at Tulliallan in 2015. It was the talented Lothians quartet of Murray Naysmith, Christopher Curran, Joseph Bryce and Kieran Cantley who emerged triumphant, ending Glasgow’s run of back-to-back victories.

Leading players taking part this weekend include the current Scottish Boys champion Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society), who represents the Lothians, and Deeside’s Michael Lawrie, son of former Open champion Paul, who plays for the north east.

Local lad Andrew Benson (West Lothian), Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal), Brodie Good (Gullane) and Darren Howie (Peebles) also boast good pedigree.

Tony McNairney, a past captain at Grangemouth Golf Club and still on the club’s committee, said: “There is an air of excitement at the club. It’s a prestigious event to have on our course, the first we have held at this level.

“We have held a number of Open events and Pro-Am’s, but this is the first Scottish Golf event we have hosted. We have a few volunteers doing sterling work to assist with the preparation to the course.

“We encourage the general public to come along and support some of the nation’s leading juniors.”

Entry is free of charge to all spectators.