Dispatch Trophy joy for Kenny Craigie in 'tournament he loves'

Edinburgh Leisure, represented by Mathew Harper, Robert Brown, Matty Craigie and Kenny Craigie, are through to the last eight in the 121st Dispatch Trophy. Picture: National World

Kenny Craigie, Edinburgh Leisure’s longest-serving golf club starter, beamed with pride as he savoured making it to the last eight in the 121st Dispatch Trophy at The Braids.

“It’s unbelievable - he’s over the moon,” said Craigie’s son, Matty, after the pair joined forces with Robert Brown and Mathew Harper to record a 2&1 win for Edinburgh Leisure over Silverknowes 50+ in the third round.

Craigie snr had lost a bounce game to his manager, Derek McLeod, earlier in the day, but he shook that off to finish five up at the back alongside Harper.

“He loves this tournament,” added Craigie jnr of his dad, who has worked for Edinburgh Leisure for 25 years and is currently based at Craigentinny.

It’s the second event running that Edinburgh Leisure, recent newcomers, have made it to the last eight and their opponents on this occasion will be Murrayfield.

Determined to get their hands on the trophy for the first time, Murrayfield overcame a “slow start” from their back pairing of Stuart Macrae and Stuart Thurlow to beat Silverknowes Young Team 8&6.

Up front, Scottish Masters hockey player Ross Young, who is playing with Australian Lloyd Dunlop, drove the 12th green for the second match running.

“It’s a competition we want to win,” declared Murrayfield team manager Stevie Anderson, who was joined by his predecessor, Stephen Stuart, in watching the action.

It was a good night for Hailes as two teams representing the Kingsknowe club stayed in the hunt in the Golfclubs4cash-sponsored event.

Hailes B, represented by Scott Finlayson, Andy Sanderson, Marc Cairnie and Gavin James, recovered from being six down overall early on the back nine to beat Craigmillar Park 2&1.

“Matches in the Dispatch don’t start until the 14th hole and that was proved tonight,” said Finlayson of a win that was clinched by James as he rolled in a 25-footer for a birdie-2 at the 17th.

Hailes A, meanwhile, overcame making double-bogeys at the ninth and tenth to beat Granton Golfing Society 10&9.

“It was brilliant when the text came through to say the B team had won and it’s great to have two teams still standing,” said Alan Mackay, who is joining forces with Gary Malone and father and son duo Steven and Nathan McCulloch.

Mortonhall, who are bidding for a historic hat-trick after winning in 2018 and 2019, survived a “battle” with Kilgour Wealth Management.

Playing with Graeme Clark at the front, Alex Main holed the same putt as James for an important birdie at the 17th while Ian Dickson and Duncan Hamilton birdied the tenth, 11th, 14th and 16th at the back.

In the box office match of the night and also one that produced some top-quality golf, five-time winners Silverknowes beat Harrison 2&1.

Connor McWatt drove the green at the 349-yard par-4 seventh with a 3-iron alongside Graeme Robertson as they covered 18 holes in three-under to finish five up on George Ackroyd and Donny Munro.

But, with the back Harrison pairing of Stuart More and Brian Byers producing a brilliant display on the greens, Keith Reilly had to hole a crucial putt alongside Chris Milligan for a half in 3s at the 16th to ensure that Silverknowes progressed.

Helped by the front couple winning the last six holes, Heriot’s Quad also progressed and now meet 2019 finalists Royal Burgess.

RESULTS

Third round

Craigmillar Park (A Fleming and G Fleming 0; D Wilson and G Hastie 0); Hailes B (S Finlayson and A Sanderson 1; M Cairnie and G James 1)

Hailes B won 2&1

Mortonhall (G Clark and A Main 1; D Hamilton and I Dickson 1); Kilgour Wealth Management (D Downing and S Turner 0; J Shepherd and A Heslop 0).

Mortonhall won 2&1

Edinburgh Leisure (M Craigie and R Brown 0; K Craigie and M Harper 5); Silverknowes 50+ (I Randall and I Doig 3; J Keggie and K Alexander 5).

Edinburgh Leisure won 2&1

Silverknowes Young Team (L Stewart and I Leadbetter 0; A Renton and J Carlin 0); Murrayfield (L Dunlop and R Young 6; S Thurlow and S Macrae 2).

Murrayfield won 8&6

Harrison (G Ackroyd and D Munro 0; S More and B Byers 3); Silverknowes (C McWatt and G Robertson 5; C Milligan and K Reilly 3).

Silverknowes won 2&1

Granton Golfing Society (J MacRae and B Cadona 0; A Renton and D Tyrie 0); Hailes A (N McCulloch and S McCulloch 7; A Mackay and G Malone 3).

Hailes A won 10&9

Harrison B (M Hyson and S Moggie 0; G Patterson and I Ashley 2); Heriot’s Quad (I Christie and D Campbell 5; J Archibald and J Liddel 0).

Heriot’s Quad won 3&2

Tantallon B (D Forbes and F Symon 0; G Pugh and L Brown 0); Royal Burgess (G Boyd and D Johnston 0; G Drummond and K Walker 2).

Royal Burgess won two holes