O'Hara's wisdom proves too much

Steven O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure), a PGA Assistant in TartanTour terms but the oldest player in the field of 46 at the Young Professionals' Order of Merit Sprint Series event at Linlithgow Golf Club today, won the £300 first prize with a two-under-par round of 68, excellent scoring in very cold and very windy conditions.

He birdied the third, fifth, 13th and 14th in halves of 33 and 35 with bogeys at the fourth and short 17th.

O'Hara, whose younger brother Paul won his first competition since becoming a full professional only a week or two ago, won by a single shot from Marc Owenson (Gullane) (35-34) and Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) (33-36).

Owenson ran up a double bogey 6 at the third while Gaughan had six birdies but five bogeys. Both earned £175.

Alistair Forsyth (Mearns Castle), like Steven O'Hara a trainee pro with more competitive experience than his younger rivals, shared fourth place with Graham Forbes (Mar Hall) on the 71 mark. They earned £110 each.