Oliver Mukherjee battled back from being three down with eight holes to play to claim the Scottish Men’s Amateur title at Gailes Links last night.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play qualifier / 6 rounds of matchplay
The 16-year-old made a bit of a habit of coming from behind in matches this week and once again came good on the back nine against Suffolk-based Gregor Tait (Aldeburgh) to win on the 18th.
Mukherjee, who qualified in 16th from the stroke play stages, was level after 14, took the lead at the next and then hung on for the biggest win of his already-impressive career.
“It feels great, it was a very long week,” Mukherjee told Scottish Golf. “I didn’t like my chances at the turn today but got my energy back and with some help from my caddie I was able to turn it round.
“I was pretty tired from quite a long week – I was just trying to stay in it. I think in four of my games I was down this week so I knew if I could win a couple of holes it would put some pressure on Gregor. I hit some good shots and holed a good putt on 14.
“Eighteen had been quite a kind hole for me this week, I hit a good iron shot and a good lag putt to get it done.”
Tait went into the final in sparkling form having dispatched Kirkhill’s Lewis Irvine 3&2. He racked up nine threes during his 16 holes.
And the 24-year-old looked set to win his first national title as he went three up at the tenth but back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 gave Mukherjee a lifeline and the teenager from Gullane grabbed it with both hands.
The Boys international birdied 13 and 14 before a par was enough at 15 to take the lead for the first time.
After 16 and 17 were halved in pars, Tait had a ten footer to take the game into extra time but it just missed.