Euan Brown celebrates his 21st by winning Troon Links

Jul 2 2010 by Mike WIlson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

EUAN BROWN'S 21st birthday party went up in smoke –- when he won the Troon Links Championship for the first time.

Plans for a celebration barbecue had to be scrapped as Euan battled to victory at Royal Troon on Saturday night.

He quipped: "It was a birthday to remember and a really nice present. But I had to call the relatives and postpone the family get-together.

"The plans went down the drain but I rushed back after winning and managed to celebrate with some friends."

Euan beat long term pal and Kilmarnock Barassie clubmate Jamie Mackay 4&3 in a fiercely contested final.

With dad Stuart as caddie,Euan fell behind at the second but battled back with three birdies to put the tie beyond reach.

Sixty-five players set out in the week long tournament but Brown had no easy path to the final.

In the last 16, he beat former Royal Troon champion and Links winner Bert Ferguson and then dumped Ayrshire team-mate Stevie Murray in the quarters.

A titanic semi-final followed against 16-year-old Rory McKenzie (Welbeck). Despite firing eight birdies, Brown was taken to the 19th and Rory birdied the 18th to square.

Euan reflected: "It was a crazy game of golf and Rory pushed me all the way."

In the other semi, Mackay had a 5&4 win over former Walker Cup player Jim Milligan (Barassie) who was playing in the tournament for the first time.

Euan, a student at Strathclyde University, has enjoyed a glory season. He won the Ayrshire matchplay title at Western Gailes and was runner-up to Tommy McInally (Loudoun) in the strokeplay.

His next target is the Scottish Amateur Championship at Gullane. Last year, he got to the last eight at Royal Troon and would love to better that.