Cormac Sharpe continued a white-hot July for Blairgowrie’s juniors with holes-in-one on successive days at the prestigious Carris Trophy.
The 18-year-old’s incredible feat came in the second and third rounds of the English Boys’ Open Championship, at the historic Silloth-on-Solway links in Cumbria.
He follows the successes last week of the Graham brothers, also from the Rosemount club. 15-year-old Connor carried off the R&A’s Junior Open at Monifieth Links, while 18-year-old Gregor won a European ranked event in the Netherlands.
But Cormac’s feat is unique, coming just a week after he reached the last eight of the Scottish Boys Championship at Edzell.
On Wednesday he holed out at the 142-yard ninth hole – the famous “Manx” hole with views out to the Isle of Man. Amazingly, he followed that up in Thursday’s third round with a second ace at the 205-yard 16th.
He finished with a 67 at level par after three rounds, moving into the top 25. Scotland team-mate Niall Shiels Donegan is the best placed Scot in the championship, lying in a share of third.
‘I couldn’t believe it’
Sharpe said: “The pin yesterday on the ninth is one you can get close to, so I tried to do that and it went in. It was pretty cool.
“Today was unexpected. The 16th was 195 into the wind, I was just trying to get it onto the green. When it disappeared I couldn’t believe it!”
These were Cormac’s second and third ace this year alone. He has five in all.
He added: “I got away without buying a drink yesterday so I’ll definitely have to buy them today!”
Former winners of the Carris Trophy include major champions Sandy Lyle and Justin Rose.
Blairgowrie’s junior section are enjoying a superb summer. Connor Graham finished second in the top-ranked amateur event Lytham Trophy in May, and then took the Boys’ Open in handsome fashion at Monifieth last week.
Connor, one of Scotland’s best prospects in years, won by five shots over the highly-rated Thai teenager Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat.
Later in the week Connor’s elder brother Gregor, returning from serious injury after a year at college in Texas, romped to victory in the Dutch Junior Open at Toxandria Golf Club near Tilburg.
