Gibson tops Aussies at St Andrews

BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2008 St. Andrews Links Trophy | Round Four | 09 Jun 2008

Australian US collegiate based golfer, Rhein Gibson finished the best Australian at the St Andrews Links Trophy on 2-under-par to close the day in fifth place and only three strokes from the winner, Scotland’s Keir McNicoll

McNicoll won his maiden international victory with the St Andrews Links Trophy, finishing 5-under-par, with rounds of 67-71-77-68, a stroke from Michael Stewart and France’s Rudy Thuillier.

Only two year’s ago the title slipped through McNicoll’s hands when he was tied for the lead with three to play, but stalled down the closing stages to be beaten by Oliver Fisher.

Early this morning the 24-year-old son of former Carnoustie Links chairman Dave McNicoll, holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the famous 18th green to win one of Europe’s most prestigious amateur strokeplay events, despite being four behind Thuillier with 14 holes to play.

Gibson, a senior at Oklahoma Christian University and 2005 NAIA All-American, fired rounds of 71-73-72-70, to record one of his best finishes on UK soil. The New South Welshman from Lismore will take a renewed evel of confidence in to this week’s British Amateur Championship at Turnberry, starting June 16.

Rohan Blizard and Scott Arnold not only shared the same accommodation at St Andrews this week but finishing scores, as the pair ended their St Andrews Links Trophy campaign T20, 5-over-par, and ten strokes from tournament winner, Carnoustie’s Keir McNicoll.

Aside from Gibson’s T5 finish, the tournament for the Australians as a whole was disappointing. Rohan Blizard’s second low-round 66 on the Old Course, however, was clearly a highlight. Blizard last week at the Scottish Amateur also secured the second lowest final round for the Championship, with a 2-under-par, 69, to finish the top Australian at T8th and 5-over-par for the championship.

Should the 2007 Australian Amateur Champion string together four solid rounds in a tournament, he is sure to seriously challenge these major international amateur events, either in the UK for the next two weeks, or when he arrives in America.

The Australians now commence their preparation for the British Amateur Championship where ten Australians will start, including the 2007 runner up, Tim Stewart. The week at St Andrews, Stewart didn’t have the tournament he would have hoped, with rounds of 74-84, to miss the weekend.

“My game still feels ok,” said Stewart on Friday.

“I’m working on a few swing things and it was a bit disappointing this week, but that’s golf.”