Staff WriterIn a week that saw English golfers claim the Scottish Open, St Rule titles with the kind of flair usually reserved for a James Bond martini, Tiverton’s Eliot Baker and Burnham & Berrow’s Davina Xanh gave the home of golf a performance to remember.
At North Berwick, Baker put on a masterclass, winning the Scottish Men’s Open Championship by a whopping seven shots.
His rounds of 67, 66, 64 and 67 left the field gasping at his final total of -20. The Devon man was clinical from tee to green, adding the Scottish crown to an already gilded year that included the Portuguese Amateur Championship and a third-place showing at the Brabazon Trophy. There’s no asterisk next to this win, no “what ifs” — just a name etched on a trophy alongside legends like Colin Montgomerie and Tommy Fleetwood.
“It means a lot to me to win this trophy with some of the big names on it and to have my girlfriend by my side all week made it even more special,” said Baker, beaming after his final putt dropped.
“Chipping in for eagle on 11 in the first round was a real turning point for me because I didn’t feel like I was gaining any momentum and then that happened and I never really looked back.”
Baker’s third-round hiccup — a bogey on 7 — was swiftly corrected with four straight birdies.
That’s how you wrestle momentum back in the ancient game: one precise swing at a time.
As he now turns his sights to the St Andrews Links Trophy next week, Baker promises: “I’ll be celebrating this win by getting ready for the St Andrews Links Trophy next week but I’m sure I will celebrate with family and friends when I am back home!”
Not to be outdone, England’s Daniel Hayes (Bramhall) finished tied-5th at -8, while Tom Osborne (Lindrick), Ben Brown (Romanby) and Morgan Blythe (Hexham) all shared seventh place at -7. English Golfers Claim Scottish Open, St Rule Titles might sound like a headline for the archives, but this weekend’s display was anything but routine — it was a resounding statement from a generation of players refusing to be stuck in the shadow of their forebears.
Meanwhile, up the road at St Andrews, Davina Xanh played the Old Course like she’d been born in its bunkers.
Xanh’s rounds of 73, 70 and 72 — including two eagles and three birdies in her final circuit — handed her the St Rule Trophy by a single shot over fellow English golfer Charlotte Naughton. Xanh’s eagle on 13 was the kind of shot that would make Old Tom Morris tip his cap.
“I had no idea where I was on the leaderboard in the last round, but my eagle on 13 gave me some more momentum in my finishing holes,” said Xanh, still in disbelief at her conquest of the Old Course.
“The last hole on the Old Course, just hitting three good shots to make birdie on a historic hole, in front of a crowd, was special.”
While Xanh’s win was sweet, it was also a testament to her persistence. “This win is really special to me since I’ve been working hard with my coaches.
I’ve been getting close to the finish line for the last couple of years and it seems like a long time coming. To just play at St Andrews is incredible, and winning there means so much more,” she added.
Six English players cracked the top 10 at St Rule, for Xanh, a quick turnaround from the USA and the chance to share the win with family made it all the more special.
Meanwhile, Micah Blowers (Colchester Golf Club) won the Welsh Open Youths, with the top-three players being English, and England Golf Women’s Squad star Lottie Woad finished as the top amateur at the US Women’s Open after an impressive tied-31st finish.
It’s enough to make you believe the old adage: form is temporary, but class — and the will to chase history — is forever.
