Scottish Medal Finals Series Culminates On The East Coast
Kenny Allan (Bearsden) and Janice Bridgeman (Grangemouth) clinched victory at the 2024 Scottish Medal Finals Grand Final in blustery conditions on the East Coast at Panmure Golf Club.
70 golfers gathered on the Carnoustie coast to compete for the coveted Championship titles across both the men’s and women’s fields at Sunday’s Grand Final event.
Both Airdrie’s Jane Clark and Orkney’s Linda Bonner made a strong challenge for the top spot; Clark birdied the 5th, 13th and 14th and eagled the 6th, with Bonner making an eagle on the 13th.
However, Janice Bridgeman managed to conquer the women’s field and despite a double bogey on the 12th and 16th, and a brief relinquishment of Clubhouse Leader to Clark and then Bonner, a birdie on the 15th helped her to regain first place.
As the afternoon progressed the wind became increasingly challenging as competitors were driving into the blustery gales down the back nine.
For much of the afternoon it looked like Brian Marshall (Lumphanan) who birdied the 2nd, 8th and 10th to lead the men’s field, was destined for victory.
However, the challenging conditions proved no match for the golfing skills of Kenny Allan (Bearsden) who would go on to birdie the 10th and finished at -2, subsequently securing his place at the top of the men’s leaderboard.
With players partaking from clubs as far reaching as Dumfries & Galloway to the Orkney Islands, the Medal Finals Series has a wide-reaching appeal across the country.
Speaking about the Medal Finals Series after her round, Orcadian golfer, Bonner, who qualified at Grantown-on-Spey and intends to volunteer in the golf at next year’s 2025 Orkney Island Games, said:
‘It’s been a great experience – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve played Grantown-on-Spey before, but I’ve never played at Panmure before – and it’s a great course. Very challenging on certain holes!… If I’m in the top section in Orkney I would definitely go and play it again – [I] thoroughly enjoyed it.’
When asked what she would say to others who are yet to compete in the Series, she said:
‘Absolutely do it, absolutely because you meet new people, you play different courses – it’s fantastic’.
Scottish Golf Tournament Director, Kieran Harmes, said:
‘It’s been fantastic to return to Panmure, once again, for yet another highly competitive Grand Final event.’
‘On behalf of Scottish Golf, I would like to thank all of the Championship Host Venues who have supported the 2024 Scottish Medal Finals Series, and also to PING, for supporting us with prizes for the top 5 competitors in the respective men’s and women’s fields at the Scottish Medal Finals Grand Final.’The final scores and leaderboards can be viewed online.Next year’s 2025 Scottish Medal Finals Grand Final will take place on the banks of Loch Lomond at The Carrick at Cameron House.
