Cameron Corbett Vase victory for Dumfries golfer
There was a breakthrough victory for Dumfries golfer Taylor Kerr as he saw off Andrew Davidson in a play-off to claim the Cameron Corbett Vase at Haggs Castle on Sunday.
FORMAT: 72-hole stroke play
The open competition, which is part of the Scottish Order of Merit, regularly attracts some of the strongest fields in Scotland and the 20-year-old former Scotland Schoolboys player took some major scalps in winning at the famous Glasgow venue.
Kerr, who is two thirds of the way through a Professional Golf degree based at Royal Dornoch, has not had many opportunities to play this year, partly because his studies mean he has been working on secondment at Dumfries & County Golf Club.
However the Thornhill player put in four highly-impressive rounds, closing with birdies at 16 and 18 to finish eight under before securing the trophy at the second extra hole.
“I haven’t played that much so it feels great to have won my first national title,” said the new champion.
“And my parents came up to see me when they knew I had a chance so it was really nice for my dad to be able to watch me win the play-off.”
Davidson, who finished third in the Battle Trophy, missed an eight-footer at the first extra hole to take the title before missing the green altogether with his tee shot at the second, finding himself behind a tree.
With Kerr sticking a seven iron to 15 feet, the Crail Golfing Society player was in serious trouble and he had to play away from the flag before chipping to eight feet. Davidson then watched as his opponent lagged his birdie putt to 12 inches but he did manage to hole his bogey effort before the Thornhill youngster tapped in for victory.
It capped off an excellent day for Kerr, who started the day three behind Davidson and four back of 36-hole leader Ian Taggart (Kenzie), who dropped away after a third-round 76.
Kerr, whose best friend Jack Cuthbertson (Bearsden) carried his bag for the final 36 holes, birdied the last two holes on Sunday morning to stay in touch with Davidson, rolling in a 20 footer at 17 before taking advantage of the par five last. His 68 left him level with Scotland captain Matthew Clark, who could not sustain the challenge in the final round, shooting a three-over-par 75.
Then after lunch he was two over after 15 but sunk a birdie effort from 20 feet at 16 to get back to seven under, missed an eight footer for another birdie at 17 and then got at four at the last for the fourth time in two days.
“I played the last few holes really well and that birdie on 17 in the morning was a massive momentum moment,” added Kerr. “I had been four under through nine so it helped me get back to that score and I knew at eight under I still had a chance.”