Longniddry’s James Morgan went from despair to jubilation in double quick-time as he clinched the venerable Tennant Cup last night.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
The Scottish Order of Merit event is the oldest amateur 72-hole stroke play competition in world and it takes place on Glasgow’s two courses – Gailles Links and the Killermont.
And for a long time Morgan looked well on course to win it for the first time thanks to Saturday rounds of 69 and 67 on the Gailles and then 67 yesterday on the Killermont.
The 22-year-old took a four-shot lead into the concluding round but “lost his swing” and had to reply on his putter to keep himself in the contest. He held-back-to-back 20-footers at 11 and 12 to stay six over for his round and then played the final six holes in four under to finish level with Ben Carberry on seven under overall. The Falkirk member closed with a tournament-low 66.
And The University of Memphis graduate – Morgan will return to the US in August to start a Masters – took the spolis at the first extra hole as his opponent missed a five-footer for par.
Morgan said: “It wasn’t the way I wanted to win it but I battled hard in the final round after playing well for three rounds.
The 2023 Scottish Order of Merit fixtures
• April 8-9: Craigmillar ark Open (Cat 4)
• April 22-23: Battle Trophy (Cat 4)
• April 20-23: Welsh Open Stroke Play (Cat 3)
• April 28-30: Lytham Trophy (Cat 2)
• May 11-14: Irish Amateur (Cat 3)
• May 25-28: Brabazon Trophy (Cat 2)
• June 2-4: Scottish Men’s Open (Cat 2)
• June 9-11: St Andrew Links Trophy (Cat 2)
• June 17-18: Tennant Cup (Cat 4)
• June 19-24: The Amateur (Cat 1)
• June 24-25: East of Scotland Open (Cat 4)
• July 8-9: Cameron Corbett Vase (Cat 4)
• Aug 1-5: Scottish Men’s Amateur (Cat 2)
• Aug 5-6: Amateur Champion Gold Medal (Cat 2)
• Aug 19-20: North East Open (Cat 4)
• Aug 26-27: North of Scotland Open (Cat 4)
• Aug 26-27: South East District Championship (Cat 4)
“Thankfully my putting kept me in it and even when I was really struggling in that final round, I knew there were birdies opportunities in the final six holes. I had played them in three under in the morning and thought I needed to do that to at least give myself a chance.”
His final-round fightback started at the short par four 13th, where he reached a green-side bunker with his tee shot and got up and down from six feet.
More excellent sand play at the next rescued a par and he had a good look at eagle on the par five 15th but just missed out from 15 feet.
An excellent tee shot at the par three sixth left him with a 20-foot birdie opportunity but he just missed out on the high side.
However he did not miss out on the final holes, sending his tee shot just over the green at the short par four 17th – before getting up and down – and then rolled one in from 20 feet at the last for a critical three.
“I said to Tom (Simmonds), coming off the green, that will be a really, really big putt and I was right.”
In the play-off he joined Carberry back on the 17th and both players went over the green of the tee. Morgan went first with his chip back and stuck it to ten feet while his playing partner’s fluffier lie proved unhelpful and he was left with 30 feet for birdie.
Carberry then rolled it up to five feet and breathed a sigh of relief as his opponent failed to convert but then he missed his par putt and Morgan was never going to do the same from 24 inches.