Result - Crawford Rosebowl. Queen’s. Sat 18th April

Apologies for the slightly delayed report—your correspondent was in transit yesterday, somewhere between time zones and questionable airport coffee, but normal service has now resumed.

Back at Dun Whinny, the Crawford Rosebowl delivered exactly what it promises every year: a bruising encounter between man and course, with the Queen’s once again proving to be a stubborn and uncompromising opponent.

Abercrombie Masters the Course

Congratulations go to David Abercrombie, who emerged victorious with an excellent return of +3 against the course. In a format where simply breaking even is often an achievement, to finish three holes to the good represents a superb display of control and composure. Abercrombie clearly found the right balance between aggression and restraint—knowing when to press and, crucially, when to get out with a half.

Chasing Pack

In second place, Allister Wallace posted a strong +1, one of only two players to finish on the right side of the ledger. A fine effort in a format that offers very little generosity.

A cluster of players managed to hold the course to level par, including Eric Lambert and the ever-dangerous Billy Z McNeill. On a day when the course was giving nothing away, that represents solid, disciplined golf.

Just behind, a group at -1 featured some familiar names—David Logie, Jon Cooper, Michael Page, and Sandy Grant—all of whom will feel they were just a couple of swings away from mounting a serious challenge.

A Tough Examination

Further down the field, the scoring tells its own story. Once the momentum goes in this format, it can unravel quickly. Even proven performers such as Ken Marshall (-5), Iain Aitchison (-5), and Vice Captain Michael Cantlay (-6) found the Queen’s a difficult adversary.

At the sharper end of the handicap spectrum, it was a particularly stern test, with several players slipping to -8 and beyond, underlining just how relentless matchplay against the course can be.

Final Word

In the end, this was a day for patience, discipline, and mental resilience—qualities that David Abercrombie demonstrated better than anyone else.

A thoroughly deserved winner of the Crawford Rosebowl. Congratulations, David.