Thurso Golf Club crown youngest club champion in their 131-year history as Tyler Gordon does unprecedented double
History was made at the delayed scratch club championship at Thurso, with 15-year-old Tyler Gordon becoming the youngest champion in the club’s 131-year history.
Gordon was up against three-time previous winner Jim Sangster in the final, having come through the challenges of Jack Fidler and Alan Swanson in the earlier rounds while Sangster defeated Iain Dunnett and Bryan Suttar.
Heavy rainfall in the days leading up to the final meant that the course was very soft and playing very long, but Gordon found the fairway off his opening drive in the final and made par while Sangster ended up in the rough and bogeyed.
After halving the second hole, both players missed the green at the par three third hole before Gordon managed to get up and down and move into an early two-hole lead.
It looked as though the teenager would extend his lead further after getting close to the par five fourth hole in just two shots, however Sangster produced a brilliant chip which nestled in the cup for a birdie, instead halving the deficit.
Both players again missed the par three fifth green, but Gordon got up and down to move back clear of his opponent.
A massive drive on the seventh hole put him in prime position to get a birdie, and suddenly the youngster had a three-hole lead.
Each golfer somehow managed to bogey the eighth, and it looked as though the final was slipping away from Sangster.
The three-time club champion’s experience shone through, though, producing a birdie just when it was needed on the ninth hole to reduce the deficit to two going into the back nine.
However, Gordon was not fazed by the setback, going on to claim the next three holes to go five ahead with just six left to play.
At that stage it seemed as though Sangster needed a miracle to get back in contention, but he produced another moment of match with a superb pitch and put to leave the match at dormie five.
As it turned out, those heroics on the 13th hole only delayed the inevitable as both players parred the 14th to give Gordon the victory.
The success also meant the 15-year-old completed what is thought to be an unprecedented double of winning club championships at both Thurso and Reay in the same season.
