Published July 17, 2008 on July 16, 2018

Stone Rolls into Record Books in Scottish Open

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South Africa’s Brandon Stone equalled the lowest round in European Tour history to win the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, the fifth Rolex Series event on the 2018 Race to Dubai.

The 25-year-old became the 18th player to shoot 60 – Darren Clarke has done it twice – and the fourth to do so on a Sunday on their way to lifting the trophy.

Stone’s scintillating ten under par effort at Gullane Golf Club got him to 20 under par for a four-shot victory. He began the final round three shots off the lead but turned in 31 and picked up birdies on the tenth, 12th, 14th and 15th before holing a curling eagle putt from 30 feet on the par-five16th. His round was almost one better, but he missed from seven feet on the last for what would have been the first 59 on the European Tour.

Stone said, “It’s incredible. If I’m going to be brutally honest, I had no idea what my score was until I walked on the 18th green. It was just one of those days where everything went well, hit it great, holed some beautiful putts, and obviously to walk away with 60 having missed an eight-footer was a slight disappointment, but I won’t really complain.”

He added, “We are now playing at Carnoustie, and that golf course can humble you very quickly. So I’m going to have to do my preparation correctly. I’m going to hopefully get in there tomorrow. Hopefully, I can find accommodation, if I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t exactly planning on going through. But it was a fantastic week this week, and hopefully, I can build on this and get a few more results.”

He has now won in three consecutive seasons and becomes the second South African to clinch a Rolex Series title, following Branden Grace’s victory at the 2017 Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player.

To round off a super Sunday on the links, he also booked his place at next week’s Open Championship in Carnoustie, alongside runner-up Eddie Pepperell who raced to the turn in 30 and briefly led by two shots before Stone’s barrage of birdies, and Sweden’s Jens Dantorp, who finished on 15 under par alongside South African Major winner Trevor Immelman and American Luke List.

2015 champion Rickie Fowler of the United States, Belgian Thomas Pieters and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox finished one shot further back.

Stephen Gallacher was the highest placed Scottish finisher as he and 2014 winner Justin Rose joined a group of five players on 13 under par.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green posted rounds of 69-67-65-70 for total 269 for joint 19^thposition with Charley Hoffman, former Masters champion Danny Willet and Sweden’s Bjork. The Scottish outing has been one of Gavin’s best outing so far in his European sojourn and it’s just in time for him to peak in the Open Championship this week.

 

Round four scores

260 B Stone (RSA) 70 64 66 60,
264 E Pepperell (Eng) 67 63 70 64,
265 L List (USA) 63 69 69 64, J Dantorp (Swe) 64 65 68 68, T Immelman (RSA) 68 64 68 65,
266 R Fox (Nzl) 67 68 63 68, R Fowler (USA) 64 66 68 68, T Pieters (Bel) 68 68 64 66,
267 D Burmester (RSA) 68 67 65 67, S Gallacher (Sco) 70 66 65 66, J Rose (Eng) 67 66 67 67, A Rai (Eng) 69 63 67 68, T Hatton (Eng) 65 64 70 68,
268 A Pavan (Ita) 70 66 66 66, M Siem (Ger) 66 67 65 70, R Sterne (RSA) 65 71 68 64, M Fitzpatrick (Eng) 68 66 64 70, S Hend (Aus) 66 69 63 70,
269 G Green (Mas) 69 67 65 68, C Hoffman (USA) 67 66 68 68, D Willett (Eng) 66 68 69 66, A Björk (Swe) 67 64 67 71,
270 H Li (Chn) 66 65 71 68, D Frittelli (RSA) 65 67 72 66, M Southgate (Eng) 65 70 66 69, P Reed (USA) 65 69 69 67, S Horsfield (Eng) 67 65 69 69, J Walters (RSA) 66 69 67 68, J Lagergren (Swe) 67 69 64 70,
271 R Cho (Kor) 69 67 69 66, I Poulter (Eng) 66 67 69 69,
272 J Smith (Eng) 67 67 71 67, O Fisher (Eng) 67 69 70 66, R Gouveia (Por) 68 68 68 68, G Fernandez – Castaño (Esp) 67 66 68 71, S Brown (Eng) 69 64 69 70, J Campillo (Esp) 69 65 67 71, L Westwood (Eng) 64 67 72 69, T Jaidee (Tha) 68 65 71 68, C Syme (Sco) 71 62 72 67, J Morrison (Eng) 69 65 70 68,
273 C Smith (Aus) 68 68 69 68, M Pavon (Fra) 67 67 69 70, D Fichardt (RSA) 69 67 65 72, C Bezuidenhout (RSA) 69 66 70 68, N Colsaerts (Bel) 70 65 68 70, S Kjeldsen (Den) 66 67 74 66, K Aphibarnrat (Tha) 69 65 68 71,
274 R Karlsson (Swe) 65 71 71 67, O Farr (Wal) 69 65 72 68, R Knox (Sco) 66 67 66 75, B Hebert (Fra) 69 65 72 68, R Rock (Eng) 64 63 76 71, J Choi (Kor) 68 67 71 68,
275 L Gagli (Ita) 70 66 70 69, A Levy (Fra) 68 66 70 71, J Guerrier (Fra) 65 69 71 70,
276 C Sordet (Fra) 66 70 70 70, H Tanihara (Jpn) 72 61 72 71, J McLeary (Sco) 68 68 72 68, D Stewart (Sco) 70 64 71 71, S Fernandez (Esp) 64 67 72 73,
277 G McDowell (Nir) 69 66 71 71,
279 T Detry (Bel) 70 66 75 68, P Oriol (Esp) 71 65 66 77,
280 A Bland (Aus) 67 68 75 70,