P & H CHAMPIONSHIP - Largs pro & former Ayrshire county player scores biggest career win

Robinson Cruises to biggest win of career

(Report & photograph courtesy of the www.scottishgholfview.com website)

Skelmorlie-based Paul Robinson scored the biggest win and collected the biggest cheque, £6,000, of his six-year professional career today, writes Colin Farquharson 

The 26-year-old tour pro, pictured right with the trophy, at Largs Golf Club, led from start to finish over the 54 holes at The Renaissance Club, East Lothian to win the P and H Championship by four strokes with a five-under-par total of 206 over the par-71 course.

His boss at Largs, Andy Fullen, said:

"The hard work he did during the winter with coach Ross Aitken has paid off for Paul. He deserves it for his dedication. Paul won the Cawder pro-am and the Scottish better-ball championship with Jason McCreadie last year.
"He's definitely on the way up."

The long-hitting Robinson's first-round, six-under 65 gave him a three-shot lead which he maintained with a 70 and increased to a winning margin of four with a closing 71

If his rivals - and all the top Tartan Tour men were in the field, felt that Robinson's lack of experience of leading a tournament into the final round might open the door for one or more of them to surge past, then they had another think coming. 

Paul showed no signs of being under pressure andv after birdies at the 10th, 11th and 13th he was able to afford the luxury of bogeys at the 14th, 15th and a double bogey at the 18th.

Four players earned £3,375 each for a joint second place finish - Gareth Wright (West Linton), Sam Binning (Mearns Castle), Stephen Gray (Hayston) and David Orr (Eastwood).

 Orr was also runner-up last year when Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs) was the inaugural winner. 

Joint sixth placed Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) had the best last round of 66 for a five-under total of 211. A second-round 75 left him with too much ground to make up.

ALL THE FINAL TOTALS AND PRIZEMONEY

Par213 (3x71)

206 P Robinson (Largs) 65 70 71 (£6,000)-
210 G Wright (West Linton) 69 73 68, S Binning (Mearns Castle) 70 70 70, S Gray (Hayston) 68 71 71, D Orr (Eastwood) 68 70 72 (£3,375 each)
211 G Fox (Clydeway Golf) 70 75 66, G Hay (Nairn Dunbar) 70 72 69, C Kelly (unatt) 71 72 68 (£1,750 each)
212 P Wardell (North Berwick) 69 70 73 (£1,250)
213 N Fenwick (Dunbar) 76 70 67 (£1,000)
214 K McNicoll (Gullane) 71 74 69, G Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie GC) 71 73 70, C Everett (Caldwell) 71 71 72, S Henderson (Kings Links) 69 73 72,  G McBain (Paul Lawrie GC) 72 67 75 (£760 each).
215 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs) 70 76 69, A Welsh (Cathkin Braes) 73 72 70, G Paxton (Ralston) 70 73 72 (£558 each).
216 P Shields (Kirkhill) 69 77 70, L Gaughn (Bathgate) 71 73 72, M Isaacs (Gamola Golf) 71 73 72 (£475  each).
217 M Hillson (Tandridge) 72 71 74, F Mann (Carnoustie GC) 73 69 75, M Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 74 68 75 (£410 each)
218 J Lomas (Caprington) 73 75 70, G Brown (Montrose Links) 74 73 71, P McKechnie (Braid Hills) 69 76 73, C Gillies (unatt) 69 74 75, C Currie (Caldwell) 69 73 76 (£360 each).
219 C Marr (Musselburgh) 72 76 71, R Clarke (Gamola Golf) 74 73 72, C Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey) 69 76 74, P Walker (Ballumbie Castle) 75 70 74 (£320 each)
220 J McGhee (Bishopbriggs) 71 77 72, C Farrell (Cardross) 74 71 75 (£295 each)
221 I Taylor (Drumpellier) 75 72 74, S McAllister (McAllister Golf) 71 71 76 (£275 each)
223 S Williamson (Clydeway Golf) 72 75 76, R Munro (Duddingston) 74 72 77 (£245 each)
224 D Wood (Hirsel) 77 70 77 (£230)