Sussex’s Marco Penge has claimed the biggest title in his career, and boosted his chances of making the Walker Cup team, with victory in the Carrick Neill Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship.
The 17 year old from Horsham won by a shot, after rounds of 69, 69, 67 and 73 at a blustery Moray Golf Club saw him finish on six under par.
Speaking after his victory, Penge, who is attached to Golf At Goodwood, said: “It’s my first win in a national men’s event, and it’s a bit of a different feeling walking down the last. I was a bit nervous on the last green – but now I feel good!”
Penge, an England boy international and member of the England Golf boys’ squad, was in contention throughout the championship. After a first round 69, he was two behind the leaders; after a second 69 he shared the lead at the halfway stage.
On the final morning he had a bogey-free round of 67 to get to eight-under and take a one-shot lead into the final round. Then, he had to battle as the wind whipped across the renowned Old Course. There were a host of leading names in the hunt for the title on a classy leaderboard, but Penge showed great tenacity to keep them at bay, helped by a decisive eagle at the par-five 17th. He closed with a two-over-par 73 for a six-under par winning total.
Glenbervie’s Graeme Robertson, in the provisional Walker Cup squad ahead of September’s clash with the US at Royal Lytham, finished as runner-up on five under after a brave bid, with another Walker Cup squad man, Ireland’s Cormac Sharvin, taking third spot a stroke further back. Windlesham Golf Club’s Callum Mackay finished tied fourth on one over par.
Penge – who won the Peter McEvoy Trophy earlier this season and will rise from his world amateur ranking of 280 – joins an impressive list of past champions. They include victorious Ryder Cup captains Bernard Gallacher and Colin Montgomerie, as well as current European Tour stars Stephen Gallacher, Richie Ramsay, Tommy Fleetwood and Andrew Sullivan.