Early Tartan Tour wins for O'Hara and Higson

Paul O'Hara has taken up where he left off last year on the Tartan Tour and has been joined by Thomas Higson in landing an early success on the the 2018 PGA in Scotland circuit.

O'Hara, who topped the Order of Merit last season, began the new campaign by winning the  

Ayrshire Hospice Pro-Am over the re-designed Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry.

The North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd-attached player carded a five-under-par 66 at the Ayrshire venue to win by a shot from West Linton's Gareth Wright, with Gavin Hay (Mearns Castle Golf Academy) third on 68.

O'Hara, who picked up a cheque for £1,150, was out in 32, having followed a birdie at the fifth by making an eagle-3 at the seventh. 

He then moved to seven-under by picking up shots at the 11th, 13th, 14th and 15th before going bogey-bogey at 16th and 17th.

Wright was out in 29 after also making an eagle the seventh, as well as signing for  birdies at the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and ninth. 

But the Edinburgh-based Welshman had a double-bogey 6 at the 16th then also dropped a shot at the 17th.

Hay, last year's Deer Park Masters winner who is now attached to Mearns Castle Golf Academy, was four-under after 10 before dropping shots at the 13th and 16th.

Ross Leeds (Archerfield Links) joined forces with Greg Mackay (playing off 13), Ross Mackay (4) and Iain Mackay (12) to victory in the team event, winning on a countback. 

Higson, meanwhile, handed himself an early-season boost by coming out on top in the opening event in the Young Pros Order of Merit Sprint Series at Duddingston.

The Gleneagles Hotel player claimed the first prize with a four-under-par 68, winning by two shots from a group that included the host club's Ross Munro, as well as Steven O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd) and Fraser McKenna (Caldwell).

Higson made his score by going out in three-under 34 thanks to birdies at the fourth, seventh and eighth. He dropped his only shot of the day at the 12th but bounced back with gains at the 14th and 17th.

Having dashed his hopes of victory with a double-bogey 6 at the ninth, Munro finished birdie-birdie. 

O'Hara had been on course to beat Higson after going out in 31, six-under, but dropped four shots coming home while McKenna also did his best work on the way out, picking up birdies at the first, third, fourth and eighth to turn in four-under.

Unfortunately, the Portpartick Pro-Am had to be abandoned due to inclement weather and a rescheduled date has still to be confirmed.