When Edinburgh-born David Huish coaxed home a five foot putt for par on Dalmahoy’s 18th green to win a sudden-death play-off for the Golden Charter PGA Scottish Seniors Open title, it was the final act of a perfect Scottish script.

It came at the second hole of the shoot-out with Northern Ireland’s David Jones and earned the 54-year-old club professional from nearby North Berwick his biggest ever cheque for £25,000.

The pair, playing partners over all four rounds, had traded blows at the head of the field throughout the £150,000 tournament and finally tied on 15-under-par 273. Huish closed with a 68 to the Ulsterman’s 67.

American David Oakley threatened to spoil the party when, as the third man in the final group he also arrived at the 18th at 15 under. But his over-shot approach cost him a bogey five, his last round 66 gaining third spot on 274.

Christy O’Connor Jnr., in only his second European Seniors Tour event, equalled the best round of the week with a 65 to join another American, Bill Brask (68) in joint fourth place on 276.

But it was the battle of the two big men out in front that riveted the attention of almost 15,000 Scottish fans over the four days.

After matching par fours at the first play-off hole, the 17th, the 5,000 last day gallery saw Jones cut his drive up the 18th into heavy rough. He could only hack out short of the green and when he almost topped an attempted pitch on to a bank at the back of the green, leading to a five, it left Huish with his own short pitch and two putts for the title.

It was Huish’s second European Seniors Tour title - he won the Collingtree Seniors at Northampton two years ago - and he described it as the biggest day of his career. The Scot, 31 years at North Berwick, led the Open championship after two rounds at Carnoustie in 1975 and played eight times in the PGA Cup side against the Americans.

“I desperately wanted to win this one in front of my own people,” he said. “It was an honour to be involved in that final three ball with the two Davids. We made an eagle and 21 birdies between us and that can’t be bad over this course.”

His Dalmahoy win assumes greater merit after a nine-week absence from the European Seniors Tour while his wife Diane recovered from a serious heart attack.

But for Jones it meant the disappointment of his second play-off defeat of the summer and his third runners-up finish since he joined the Tour last year. “I suppose I shall get the label of ‘the nearly man’ but I can live with that,” he said.

Husih’s roller-coaster opening round of 70 featuring a potent mix of an eagle, birdies, bogeys and a double bogey did not suggest it was going to be his week, especially as Jones shot out of the gate to lead with a 66.

But a superb 65 followed by another 70 gave him one shot leads over the Bangor professional on the second and third days.

O’Connor Jnr needed only 29 putts in his 65 which gave due warning that he is capable of an early Seniors success in his remaining two events this year He was amazed that his 12-under-par was not good enough to win. “It’s a tough golf course out there. The scoring is incredible - it matches what you would expect on the main European Tour,” he added.

He was referring to the fact that 39 of the 56 qualifiers exploited the windless conditions over the four days to finish below par.

Unhappily Tony Jacklin was not one of them. Brandishing a new long-handled putter in a bid to end the putting woes that have blighted his golf over the past two years, the former British and US Open champion finished level on 288, only his last round 70 beating the par of 72.

RESULTS

1 David HUISH (Scot) 70 65 70 68 273 25000.00

2 David JONES (N.Ire) 66 70 70 67 273 16640.00

3 David OAKLEY (USA) 72 70 66 66 274 9350.00

4 Bill BRASK (USA) 74 66 68 68 276 6910.00

Christy O'CONNOR JNR (Ire) 69 71 71 65 276 6910.00

6 Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 70 67 72 68 277 6000.00

7 John GARNER (Eng) 71 71 72 66 280 5120.00

Iain CLARK (Scot) 74 69 66 71 280 5120.00

Norman WOOD (Scot) 70 73 69 68 280 5120.00

10 John FOURIE (SA) 72 69 72 68 281 3100.00

Tommy HORTON (Eng) 70 72 68 71 281 3100.00

David CREAMER (Eng) 73 69 72 67 281 3100.00

Joe CARR (USA) 73 66 70 72 281 3100.00

Terry GALE (Aus) 72 66 72 71 281 3100.00

Neil COLES (Eng) 73 73 66 69 281 3100.00

Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 69 74 70 68 281 3100.00

Agim BARDHA (USA) 74 69 70 68 281 3100.00

18 Bob LENDZION (USA) 73 70 70 69 282 2000.00

19 Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 67 72 73 71 283 1710.00

Michael SLATER (Eng) 72 68 72 71 283 1710.00

Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 72 70 71 70 283 1710.00

Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 75 69 66 73 283 1710.00

23 Guy HUNT (Eng) 73 72 69 70 284 1480.00

Jim RHODES (Eng) 74 69 67 74 284 1480.00

Barry SANDRY (Eng) 72 69 74 69 284 1480.00

26 Bill HARDWICK (Can) 75 72 69 69 285 1285.00

Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 74 71 68 72 285 1285.00

TR JONES (USA) 74 71 70 70 285 1285.00

Hugh INGGS (SA) 75 71 70 69 285 1285.00

30 Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 75 71 72 68 286 1150.00

Bobby VERWEY (SA) 71 74 67 74 286 1150.00

Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 72 74 69 71 286 1150.00

Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 72 73 72 69 286 1150.00

34 Don MCCART (Scot) 72 72 71 72 287 1060.00

Snell LANCASTER (USA) 75 71 71 70 287 1060.00

Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 73 72 73 69 287 1060.00

Lloyd MONROE (USA) 71 74 69 73 287 1060.00

Brian WAITES (Eng) 75 71 70 71 287 1060.00

39 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 72 74 72 70 288 1000.00

40 Gordon GRAY (Scot) 71 74 70 74 289 960.00

Bob MENNE (USA) 74 71 71 73 289 960.00

Bob SHEARER (Aus) 68 74 71 76 289 960.00

43 Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 72 73 73 72 290 890.00

Jos‚ CABO (Sp) 75 72 71 72 290 890.00

Jan BJ™RNSSON (Swe) 70 74 75 71 290 890.00

Graham BURROUGHS (Eng) 74 71 71 74 290 890.00

47 Roberto BERNARDINI (It) 72 75 72 72 291 830.00

J.R. DELICH (USA) 73 74 68 76 291 830.00

49 Doug DALZIEL (USA) 75 72 73 72 292 810.00

50 Frank HILL (Eng) 74 73 69 77 293 466.00

Jay DOLAN III (USA) 73 71 73 76 293 466.00

Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 72 74 72 75 293 466.00

53 Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 76 70 74 74 294 296.00

54 Kenneth MAGNUSSON (Swe) 72 73 72 78 295 294.00

55 Sooky MAHARAJ (T&T) 75 72 76 73 296 292.00

56 Peter CHAMBERLAIN (Eng) 73 74 77 75 299 290.00

57 Jack STEVEN (Scot) 74 74 148

Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 72 76 148

Paul LEONARD (N. 73 75 148

Ire)

60 Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 73 76 149

David VAUGHAN (Wal) 74 75 149

Chick EVANS (USA) 75 74 149

Tienie BRITZ (SA) 75 74 149

Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 75 74 149

Bill LOCKIE (Scot) 76 73 149

Gerry EGAN (Ire) 77 72 149

John HUDSON (Eng) 73 76 149

Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 77 72 149

69 Jan DORRESTEIN (Hol) 74 76 150

Fred WHITFIELD (Eng) 78 72 150

Matt MCCRORIE (Scot) 78 72 150

72 Alan THOMPSON (Eng) 75 76 151

Sid DENHAM (Eng) 76 75 151

Ossie GARTENMAIER (Aut) 76 75 151

75 Alberto CROCE (It) 74 78 152

Bryan CARTER (Eng) 77 75 152

Robert WEBSTER (Scot) 76 76 152

Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 76 76 152

Roger FIDLER (Eng) 77 75 152

Derek CRAIK (Scot) 77 75 152

Ian MARTIN () 82 70 152

DeRay SIMON (USA) 73 79 152

83 Steve WILD (Eng) 77 76 153

84 John PHILP (Scot) 79 75 154

Terry KENDALL (NZ) 82 72 154

Stuart MURRAY (Scot) 79 75 154

Stewart ADWICK (Eng) 76 78 154

Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 76 78 154

89 Ross WHITEHEAD (Eng) 77 78 155

Michael MURPHY (Ire) 81 74 155

91 Maurice MOIR (Scot) 81 78 159

92 Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) RETD

Hedley MUSCROFT (Eng) 78 RETD

ORDER OF MERIT

1 Tommy HORTON (Eng) 110746.17 (14)

2 Brian HUGGETT (Wal) 99682.95 (9)

3 Eddie POLLAND (N.Ire) 76206.95 (15)

4 David JONES (N.Ire) 63484.50 (13)

5 Noel RATCLIFFE (Aus) 58044.76 (15)

6 Bobby VERWEY (SA) 57039.73 (14)

7 Jim RHODES (Eng) 56008.74 (15)

8 Neil COLES (Eng) 47467.11 (10)

9 Antonio GARRIDO (Sp) 46724.76 (14)

• 10 Bob LENDZION (USA) 43583.71 (12)

11 Terry GALE (Aus) 41595.05 (11)

12 Maurice BEMBRIDGE (Eng) 40535.76 (15)

13 Renato CAMPAGNOLI (It) 39724.01 (13)

14 Bill HARDWICK (Can) 38799.59 (15)

15 David HUISH (Scot) 36436.69 (10)

• 16 Denis O'SULLIVAN (Ire) 36399.35 (12)

17 Bill BRASK (USA) 36187.76 (9)

18 Brian WAITES (Eng) 35164.54 (15)

19 David CREAMER (Eng) 34515.85 (15)

20 Malcolm GREGSON (Eng) 34473.13 (14)

• 21 Joe MCDERMOTT (Ire) 34039.79 (14)

22 John FOURIE (SA) 31174.79 (15)

• 23 Barry SANDRY (Eng) 30668.14 (14)

24 Norman WOOD (Scot) 29328.75 (15)

25 John GARNER (Eng) 26494.62 (14)

• 26 Michael SLATER (Eng) 26201.04 (15)

27 Bob SHEARER (Aus) 26014.39 (11)

28 John MORGAN (Eng) 25906.97 (4)

29 David OAKLEY (USA) 24975.18 (11)

30 Brian BARNES (Scot) 24441.69 (3)

31 Paul LEONARD (N. Ire) 23786.97 (15)

32 Ian RICHARDSON (Eng) 23694.03 (15)

33 Alberto CROCE (It) 21362.06 (13)

34 Tony JACKLIN (Eng) 19566.28 (8)

35 J.R. DELICH (USA) 18410.96 (15)

36 Liam HIGGINS (Ire) 18128.14 (14)

37 Doug DALZIEL (USA) 16714.38 (13)

38 Hugh INGGS (SA) 16603.99 (15)

39 Craig DEFOY (Wal) 16489.74 (12)

• 40 Jay DOLAN III (USA) 16228.53 (15)

41 Peter TOWNSEND (Eng) 15778.59 (14)

• 42 Jos‚ CABO (Sp) 14049.18 (9)

43 Iain CLARK (Scot) 13703.33 (5)

44 Snell LANCASTER (USA) 13495.31 (13)

45 Bob MENNE (USA) 13352.09 (14)

• 46 Geoff PARSLOW (Aus) 13077.36 (15)

47 Arnold O'CONNOR (Ire) 12239.14 (13)

48 Gordon PARKHILL (N.Ire) 12124.14 (13)

49 Christy O'CONNOR JNR (Ire) 10097.50 (2)

50 Bob CHARLES (NZ) 9700.00 (1)

51 Joe CARR (USA) 9635.00 (9)

52 John HUDSON (Eng) 8960.17 (14)

53 Guy HUNT (Eng) 8734.50 (11)

54 TR JONES (USA) 8236.56 (13)

55 Steve WILD (Eng) 7908.35 (15)

56 Tienie BRITZ (SA) 7670.49 (14)

57 David SNELL (Eng) 7381.50 (10)

58 Chick EVANS (USA) 7254.82 (14)

59 Bernard HUNT (Eng) 7177.50 (5)

60 DeRay SIMON (USA) 7029.17 (14)

61 Agim BARDHA (USA) 7015.17 (5)

62 Jan BJ™RNSSON (Swe) 6450.94 (14)

63 Harry FLATMAN (Eng) 5986.62 (13)

64 Don MCCART (Scot) 5966.92 (11)

• 65 Bill LOCKIE (Scot) 5928.10 (6)

66 Graham BURROUGHS (Eng) 5926.79 (8)

67 Lloyd MONROE (USA) 5805.12 (13)

68 Roger STERN (USA) 5489.85 (7)

69 Roger FIDLER (Eng) 5142.50 (11)

70 Kenny STEVENSON (N.Ire) 4894.69 (11)

71 Stewart ADWICK (Eng) 4741.71 (10)

• 72 Andrew BROOKS (Scot) 4517.92 (9)

• 73 Dr Arthur SPRING (Ire) 4320.36 (12)

74 Bryan CARTER (Eng) 4135.00 (11)

75 Hiro TAHARA (Jpn) 3535.84 (8)

• 76 Francisco ABREU (Sp) 3382.00 (6)

77 Terry KENDALL (NZ) 3375.00 (6)

78 Peter BUTLER (Eng) 3173.64 (6)

79 Michael MURPHY (Ire) 3123.06 (15)

80 Randall VINES (Aus) 3080.00 (9)

• 81 Javier VILADOMIU (Sp) 2976.00 (8)

82 Christy O'CONNOR (Ire) 2946.70 (3)

83 Jose Maria ROCA (Sp) 2915.25 (3)

84 Frank HILL (Eng) 2852.67 (2)

85 Roberto BERNARDINI (It) 2850.00 (7)

86 Glenn MACDONALD (Can) 2797.62 (10)

87 Hugh BOYLE (Ire) 2535.00 (4)

• 88 Jan DORRESTEIN (Hol) 2464.00 (10)

89 Gerolamo DELFINO (It) 2210.00 (3)

90 Hugh JACKSON (N.Ire) 1935.52 (11)

• 91 Ossie GARTENMAIER (Aut) 1895.25 (5)

92 Tommy HALPIN (Ire) 1832.54 (11)

• 93 Gordon GRAY (Scot) 1827.62 (9)

94 David TALBOT (Eng) 1800.00 (3)

95 Tom O'MAHONEY (Hol) 1595.00 (2)

96 Skip PRATT (USA) 1562.62 (5)

97 Matt MCCRORIE (Scot) 1512.62 (6)

• 98 Alan HALL (Eng) 1462.06 (7)

99 Kenneth MAGNUSSON (Swe) 1440.00 (6)

100 Hedley MUSCROFT (Eng) 1245.39 (11)

101 John LISTER (NZ) 1132.50 (3)

• 102 Mike HOYLE (Eng) 935.00 (8)

103 Sid DENHAM (Eng) 932.86 (10)

104 Peter CHAMBERLAIN (Eng) 918.00 (2)

105 Sooky MAHARAJ (T&T) 902.85 (7)

106 Jose Luis MANGAS (Sp) 780.00 (1)

107 Giuseppe PARISI (Ita) 700.00 (1)

• 108 Bobby GRAY (USA) 670.00 (2)

109 Sherwood STEWART (USA) 660.00 (2)

Michael HOOPER (Eng) 660.00 (2)

111 Geoffrey KING (Eng) 638.02 (5)

112 Adam WHISTON (Ire) 588.02 (3)

113 Gerry EGAN (Ire) 526.45 (4)

114 Tony COVENEY (Ire) 470.36 (3)

115 David VAUGHAN (Wal) 414.26 (4)

116 Rafe BOTTS (USA) 338.02 (6)

117 Howell FRASER (USA) 302.06 (1)

Norman DREW (N.Ire) 302.06 (2)

119 Siegfried VOLLRATH (Ger) 300.00 (1)

George WILL (Scot) 300.00 (3)

121 Ross WHITEHEAD (Eng) 275.00 (7)

122 Salim MWANYENZA (Tan) 250.00 (1)

German GARRIDO (Sp) 250.00 (1)

Robert WEBSTER (Scot) 250.00 (3)

Bernard PASCASSIO (Fr) 250.00 (3)

• 126 Derek CRAIK (Scot) 200.00 (6)

Fred WHITFIELD (Eng) 200.00 (5)

Gunnar MUELLER (Swe) 200.00 (2)

Jerry ADAMS (USA) 200.00 (2)

Rodger SUTHERLAND (Scot) 200.00 (3)