Farr claims Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters

Oliver Farr won the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters, beating Daniel Gavins on the third play-off hole in the 888poker.com PGA Europro Tour event at Montrose Golf Links.

Farr (pictured with Eagle Orchid chief executive Neil Armour) claimed the £10,000 winner’s prize and a brand new Motocaddy trolley, despite finishing his final round with a bogey on the 16^th and a double on the 17^th, squandering a three-stroke lead to find himself in the playoff.

He signed for final round 71, level par, to finish the tournament five under. Gavins shot a 68 on the final day to tie for the lead and earn his place in the sudden death play-off.

Both players parred the first two plays of 18 but Gavins hit his approach shot onto the road behind the 18^th green on the 57^th hole, and had taken five strokes when Farr putted for par to win the competition.

The 25-year-old moves to third on the Order of Merit, and Gavins’ £5,000 runners-up prize takes him to second after winning at Dale Hill last month.

It means that with two events to play both players are strongly-placed to finish the season in the top five, an achievement rewarded with a card on the 2014 Challenge Tour.

“It was very much a rollercoaster,” said Farr. “I got to eight under and felt pretty comfortable but it was quite a tough finish with the wind coming into us and I hit a couple of bad shots.

“Coming down 18 you have to look at it in the way you don’t want to and that is that you could lose it. I focussed on making par and getting in the play off, because I knew I wasn’t in a great frame of mind going into the last hole. I recovered well and had a good two-putt.

Earlier in the season Farr finished tied second at Rowallan Castle, losing out to Mark Laskey in a play-off.

“It was good that I was in a play-off at Rowallan Castle,” said Farr. “It meant that I was familiar with it. You have to play some good shots on 18 here and the pin was in a really tight place, so I was happy to make three pars really.

“I have been fortunate to play seven Challenge Tour events this year and you get a taste for it, you know what level you need to be at. You have to win on the Europro to have a chance of getting your card and it was nice to win today and hopefully now I can get to the Challenge Tour for next year, but we have a couple of events left yet.”

James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale) and James Ruebotham (Welwyn Garden City Golf Club) shared third place on four under par.

The next event takes place at Moor Allerton Golf Club in Leeds, beginning on Wednesday, September 25. The final round of the Eagle Orchid Scottish Masters was filmed for a two-hour highlights show to be broadcast four times on Sky Sports HD on September 25.