Gullane gearing up for fifth hosting of top Scottish amateur event

Two rounds of stroke-play qualifying will take place on the No 1 and No 2 Courses on 29-30 July before the match-play phase involving the top 64 players is held on No 1 from 31 July-2 August.

The event’s first staging at Gullane was in 1983, when the legendary Charlie Green beat John Huggan, now a renowned golf journalist, on the last green.

Seven years later, Craig Everett claimed the crown by beating Mike Thomson 7&5 in the final before Fifer George Murray pipped Paul O’Hara in a tight title decider in 2004.

In the most recent edition at this particular venue, Ayrshireman Michael Stewart beat Jordan Finlay 3&2 to claim the coveted crown.

It will be the tournament’s first visit to East Lothian since Bob MacIntyre, now one of the world’s top players after breaking into the top 20 last year on the back of two PGA Tour triumphs, came out on top at Muirfield in 2015.

“We are very proud to be hosting the Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship for a fifth time this year and looking forward to welcoming the best amateur golfers in Scotland to the club,” said club captain Colin Steele.

“It is a great honour to have been selected by Scottish Golf for what is such a prestigious event and the roll call of past champions underscores what an important event it is.

“Our course manager, Paul Armour, will have both courses in their usual pristine condition for the week and competitors will be relishing the opportunity to test their skills on two incredible links courses.”

Gullane member Tom Dobson landed the title in 1925 and, more recently, Oliver Mukherjee became the event’s youngest-ever winner at the age of just 15 when he defeated Gregor Tait at Gailes Links in 2022.

Mukherhee, a Duke University golf scholar, will now be hoping to put his local knowledge to good use as he goes in search of a second national title on home turf in July.

Sam Hall, the reigning Gullane club champion, will be another local favourite aiming to capitalise on home advantage, having also won the Lothians Championship last year.

A strong Gullane contingent could also include seasoned campaigner Thomas Simmonds, US college-based Harry Bent and Joe MacPherson and current junior members Archie Cook and Alexander Yuille.

The championship is a counting event for World Amateur Golf Rankings and could prove pivotal for the leading Scottish players vying for Walker Cup selection.

Dean Robertson, a former Scottish Amateur champion himself after landing the title at Royal Dornoch in 1993, leads Great Britain & Ireland into battle against the United States at Cypress Point in Californiaon 6-7 September.

Open to Scottish golfers, the handicap limit for the Scottish Amateur Championship is 6.4 with a closing date for entries of 30 June.

Last year’s event, held at the Castle Course and Fairmont St Andrews, was won by Kilmacolm’s Alexander Farmer.