Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club in the Scottish Uplands hosted the latest event on the Faldo Junior Tour schedule, which was won by local Scottish golfer, Adam Scott. Scott from nearby Lochmaben Golf Club posted a 54 hole total of +4 to take a slim one shot victory over English duo Ryan Gavin and Mark Hewlett Jnr whist Korean player Jayden Park also tied for second place but took the Boys 16 & Under title. Scott, who is currently attending Coker University in South Carolina, had started the final round three shots back from overnight leader Ryan Gavin from Coventry Golf Club but with two birdies in the first four holes, Scott quickly took the lead in the final round and despite a couple of mistakes on the back nine he held off his opponents with pars on the last three holes as conditions became more difficult as the Scottish breeze got up. Afterwards Scott praised the Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club for their efforts in putting on such as a great event, in particular Scott heaped praised on greenkeeping staff for presently the course so immaculately. “Having played here many times, this week we must congratulate the green staff, in all my years playing here, this is by far the best condition I’ve seen the course.”
In the Boys 16 & Under category Park would book his place in the European Grand Final and just fell short of getting into a play off following a closing bogey having birdied the 12th, 15th and 17th to put the pressure on Scott. Park is a Korean National currently living in Riga, Latvia and playing out of the Ozo Golf Club. It was another English duo who shared the runner up spot in the Boys 16 & Under category with Cleveland Golf Clubs Archie Palmer and Huddersfield Golf Club’s Ethan Ward finishing with a 222 total.
There was further International success in the Girls Categories with Cypriot, Cagil Akpinar winning the overall Girls title and 16 & Under Title with a 230 total for 54 holes. Korineum Golf Club junior Akpinar has had an impressive start to the season will continue compete in the UK throughout the Summer playing in Faldo Junior Events at The Astbury and John O’Gaunt. Akpinar will now look to boost her WAGR points following her first ranking with victory in Dumfries & Galloway.
Whilst in the Girls 21 & Under category Enfield Golf Club’s, Lucy Labdon took also booked her place at the Europe Grand Final with a 235 total, seeing off Brampton Golf Club’s Carys McDonough by four shots. Labdon is also currently playing Collegiate Golf in the USA, representing Cumberland University and with three steady rounds signed off her British Summer schedule with a category win before returning to Tennessee.
It was fantastic for the Faldo Junior Tour to return to Scotland for the first time since 2023 and to attract such an International field with players from the Home Nations joined by played from: Latvia, Cyprus and Sri Lanka.
Pictured below (left to right): Adam Scott, Cagil Akpinar, Jayden Park and Lucy Labdon.
