O’Hara in fine form at West Lothian
02/07/2015
Paul O'Hara regained the Scottish Young Professionals' Championship he won in 2013 with a front-running performance that saw him finish two shots clear of the field at West Lothian Golf Club, Bo'ness.
O'Hara collected the £1,000 first prize as he had looked like doing from early in the tournament when he steadily built up a big lead.
The Clydeway Golf man finished with rounds of 67, 65, 69 and 70 for a 13-under-par total of 271 but it was not quite as pressure-free on the final day as O'Hara would have liked.
Runner-up Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) actually made up seven shots on the winner over the final day's 36-holes.
O'Hara had to slip back into top gear as his lead steadily diminished. He had five birdies in his final round with those at the 13th, 14th and 15th the most vital after a double bogey six at the eighth had possibly raised Gaughan's hopes that he could close the gap.
Gaughan, who had seven birdies in his final halves of 35-32, had scores of 70, 71, 65 and 67 for 273 and collected the £800 second prize five shots ahead of the third-placed Alan Welsh (Cathkin Braes) who had rounds of 70, 70, 68 and 71 to earn £600.
Defending champion Gavin Hay (Nairn Dunbar) finished down the field on 279, a third-round 80 killing any hopes he might have had of a top 15 or 20 finish.
