Dundonald delight for Freya Russell and Alex North in Stephen Gallacher Foundation Masters

Royal Troon’s Freya Russell enjoyed a triumphant first visit to Dundonald Links in the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Masters as Alex North from St Andrews birdied the last to also taste victory at the Ayrshire venue.

Russell dominated the girls’ event, opening with rounds of 74 and 76 before closing with a polished par-72 for a six–over total, winning by seven shots from German Charlotte Eichhorn, who is a pupil of St Leonards in St Andrews.

“I’ve never actually been here before,” said Russell of Dundonald Links, which stages the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open later this year. “It’s the first time and it’s a lovely course so I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Her final round included a chip in. “I was looking at it and kept it on the ground as I thought letting it roll was the safest thing and that’s a shot I like to play. It went in so I was happy,” she added.

“I was just concentrating on hitting fairways and greens and holing some putts here and there helped.”

North, who was tied for the lead at the start of the day after opening with scores of 73 and 72, signed off with a 75 for a four-over total, pipping Stephen Gallacher Foundation ambassador Archie Finnie by a shot.

Finnie had been on course for victory until running up a 10 at the tenth, which, to his credit, the Royal Burgess youngster followed with seven pars before finishing with a birdie-4.

“Definitely my best result and I’m really happy,” said North. “I’ve been working really hard over the winter, so it is good to get some rewards out of it.

“I’ve been working a lot with the Decade system, so I’ve been working on my mental scorecard and the shots I want to hit.

“I kept to my own game until the last, when I realised I had to hole the putt and had to produce something,