David Dixon wins Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Par 3 Championship

PGA Cup history-maker David Dixon won the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Par 3 Championship in a dramatic finish at Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

A play-off looked to be on the cards in the £20,000 event when Dixon, a 41-year-old from Somerset, missed a 10-foot par putt at the last on the nine-hole Devenick Course.

But Stephen Gray, the overnight leader and Dixon's playing partner on the final day, looked on in horror as his par attempt from three feet spun out of the hole.

That Dixon, who'd got his nose in front for the first time at the penultimate hole, to pick up a first prize worth £3750 after closing with a three-under 51 for a 105 total for 36 holes.

“That was a nice way for things to turn out for me,” admitted Dixon, a member of the first Great Britain & Ireland side to win the PGA Cup on US soil at CordeValle in California in 2015.

“I’m well chuffed about that as I’ve had a really good few days.

“I was about to say ‘good putt’ to to Stevie when it did a horrible horseshoe. It wasn’t a nice way for him to finish after playing so well."

Gray, a former Tartan Tour Order of Merit winner, finished on 106, three ahead of host club man Craig Lawrie, the tournament host's eldest son.

“I thought it was in and started just walking to it,” said Gray, who is attached to Lanark, of his cruel finish. “But it horseshoed out. It’s one of those things in golf."

PGA Pro Heather MacRae fared best among seven female professionals in the field, finishing level with Shot Clock Masters runner-up Connor Syme in joint-11th on five-over-par.

“Apart from a triple-bogey yesterday and a double-bogey today, I played pretty solid,” said the former Gleneagles assistant who is now based in Portugal.