Sam's the man!

Sam Bairstow held his nerve in a thrilling final round to land his breakthrough win on the European Challenge Tour in Scotland. The Hallowes man, former Yorkshire and England star and Brabazon Trophy winner, had found himself a single shot ahead of France’s Romain Wattel going into the final round at Newmachar Golf Club in Aberdeenshire, in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge. With Scottish legend Paul Lawrie watching on, Bairstow and Wattel both shot their best rounds of the week on the Sunday afternoon with a pair of -6 65s. It left the South Yorkshireman as champion by a single stroke on -15, landing him over 42,000-euros and elevating him to 18th place on the tour’s Race to Mallorca where players compete for places on the main DP World Tour. A week earlier Bairstow had missed the cut at the British Challenge won by Alex Fitzpatrick but had placed an encouraging 5th the week previously in the Irish Challenge.