South Africa’s Brandon Stone equalled the lowest round in European Tour history to win the Scottish Open.
The 25 year old became the 18th player to shoot 60, and the fourth to do so in the final round on their way to lifting the trophy. Stone’s scintillating ten-under-par effort at Gullane got him to 20 under par for a four-shot victory.
He began the final round three shots off the lead, but turned in 31 and picked up birdies on the 10th, 12th, 14th and 15th, before holing a curling eagle putt from 30 feet on the par-five 16th. His round was almost one better, but he missed from seven feet on the last for what would have been the first 59 on the EuropeanTour.
To round off a super Sunday, Stone also booked his place at this week’s Open Championship in Carnoustie, alongside runner up Eddie Pepperell who raced to the turn in 30 and briefly led by two shots before Stone’s barrage of birdies, and Sweden’s Jens Dantorp, who finished on 15 under par alongside South African Major winner Trevor Immelman and American Luke List.
Stone, who has now won three times on the European Tour, in three consecutive seasons, said: “It’s incredible. It was just one of those days where everything went well – hit it great, holed some beautiful putts, and obviously to walk away with 60, having missed an eight-footer, was a slight disappointment, but I’m not complaining.
“Obviously the wedge shots on 15 and 16 were quite pivotal. And then the putt on 16 is pretty much where you could say the tournament was won for me. I knew I just needed to make three more good swings, and when that thing went home, the emotions came flooding in. I had to really struggle to keep it in. Shooting 60 to win the Scottish Open is something I’m going to hold dear to my heart for a long time, and hopefully I can build on this and get a few more results.”
