Forsyth and Tait claim Tartan Tour triumphs

Two-time European Tour winner Alastair Forsyth and former Carnoustie course-record holder Alan Tait have been among the recent victors on the Tartan Tour.

Forsyth, who is attached to Mearns Castle Golf Academy, produced a strong performance to come out on top in the Newmachar 36-Hole Order of Merit Challenge.

The 42-year-old carded rounds of 68-66 for a 10-under-par total, winning by a shot from host club head professional Greg McBain (69-66) and West Linton's Gareth Wright (69-66).

Forsyth, winner of the Parkdean Resorts Pro-Am at Ayr Belleisle earlier in the year, picked up two birdies in the last three holes in the second round to secure a £650 top prize.

Northern Open champion Wright was out in 31, five-under, before following a double-bogey 6 at tenth with an eagle-2 while McBain also bagged five birdies on the outward journey.

Tait's triumph came in the Hayston Pro-Am thanks to a six-under-par 64, which earned him a first-placed cheque worth £900 as he finished two shots ahead of Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Range) and Paul O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd).

O'Hara went one better in the Bothwell Castle Pro-Am, carding a seven-under 63 to earn a £1,375 pay-day as he finished two shots ahead of from Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills Golf Range) with Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) third on 66

O'Hara made his score with a burst of four straight birdies around the turn before signing off with a birdie, as did McKechnie, who had earlier picked up three shots in the first five holes.

In a low-scoring event, Deer Park's Jamie McLeary secured the spoils in the Montrose Golf Links Pro-Am, firing a nine-under-par 62 to win by a shot from Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) and Gareth Hardy (Prestwick St Nicholas), 

McLeary had 11 birdies, including four to finish, as he picked up a £1,208 top prize.  Fenwick birdied five holes in a row from the sixth in a bogey-free effort while  Hardy was out in 30, six-under, before starting for home with a birdie but a bogey at the 17th cost him a share of top spot.

McLeary also finished as top Scot in PGA Assistants' Championship at Farleigh. He shot rounds of 75-72-68 for a one-under-par 215 total, finishing joint-ninth, six shots behind winner Lee Corfield (Burnham & Berrow).

In the Turriff Pro-Am,  Greig Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre), Michael Patterson (Williamwood) and Stephen Gray (Lanark) shared top spot with four-under-par 66s. 

Hutcheon came home in 31, three-under; Patterson signed for five birdies and Gray had two birdies in last three holes.

The trio finished two shots ahead of Chris Currie (Erskine), Louis Gaughan (Bathgate) and Kris Nicol (Dunes Golf Centre).

At Balbirnie Park, Linlithgow's Peter Whiteford (Linlithgow) shot seven-under 64 to win a Young Pros Order of Merit Sprint Series at by a shot from McLeary with Steven O'Hara (North Lanarkshire Leisure Ltd) third on 66.