Hay wins Carnegie Invitational

Gavin Hay scored his fifth and biggest win of the Tartan Tour Season after winning the Carnegie Invitational 36-hole tournament thanks to a stunning second round display.

The Grantown on Spey player was just one shot off the course record at Skibo Castle, north of Inverness with a second round score of seven-under par 64.

Hay’s total of five-under par 137 saw him finish three shots ahead of second-placed Jason McCreadie (Largs Golf Club) and earned him a first prize of £5,500, easily his best of the year.

Hay surged into contention with an outward half of 31 on Wednesday, birdieing the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth.

He dropped his only shot of the day at the 12th but then staged a grandstand finish that would take him clear of the field, birdieing the 13th, 14th, 17th and 18th for an inward 33.

McCreadie improved dramatically from his opening round of 75. He picked up eight birdies and two bogies to finish on 65 for a total of 140 which earned him £4,000.

The three players who shared the overnight lead overnight on par 71 failed to break 70. Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) shot 70 for 141, Alastair Forsyth (Mearns Castle) scored 71 for 142 and in-form Paul O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure) could only score 73 for 144. 

Hay won a bonus prize of £500 by leading his amateur team of Ellen Wallace (handicap 12), Les Wallace (17) and Mitchell Wallace (18) to victory in the 36-hole pro-am event with a net total of 44-under-par 240.

The pros whose teams finished second and third, Paul O'Hara (244) and Neil Fenwick (246), also were rewarded with £500 apiece.