ROLLING back the years, turning back the clock? Whatever you want to call it, Alastair Forsyth performed it as he battled to victory in the Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA Championship at West Kilbride.
Twenty-two years after he won the Tartan Tour’s flagship event for the first time, Forsyth bridged that yawning title gap as he edged out Paul O’Hara at the second play-off hole after both players had finished tied at the top on 15 under par.
There was also an element of revenge to the Mearns Castle professional’s latest conquest. Three years ago, Forsyth lost in a play-off for the national crown to O’Hara at Downfield.
“We got there in the end,” said the 46-year-old. “This win is probably more satisfying than my first one. Back in 2000, I was up-and-coming and I had my main Tour card. This win was less expected because I’m not playing as much these days. I know my game is good enough but the question is whether it is sharp enough. It was this week.”
Forsyth had been three strokes behind the frontrunning O’Hara heading into the final round.
Despite a crippling double-bogey on the third, he mounted a sterling salvage operation with a birdie at the fifth and an eagle at the seventh to re-ignite his title push.
“You either let a double-bogey bother you, or you grind it out,” he said of his defiant push. A spirited three-under 68, to O’Hara’s 71, set up the sudden-death shoot-out.
The bold O’Hara unleashed the heavy artillery down the first and held his breath as his drive ended up on the bank of the burn that crosses the fairway. Fortune certainly favoured the brave.
With Forsyth safely on the green in two, O’Hara then dinked a superbly executed recovery shot to within six feet. Forsyth’s raking birdie putt to win missed while O’Hara spurned his chance when his effort kissed the cup.
On they went to the 18th and O’Hara’s approach found the right-hand bunker. Forsyth made a steady par and watched as his rival, who had splashed out to six feet, caressed the cup again with a putt. The title, and the £4,210 first prize,
belonged to Forsyth.
“This is our national championship, it’s the one we all want to win,” added Forsyth. “To do it again is very, very pleasing.”
