Jack of clubs cards a pair of wins

The Galashiels teenager has recently scooped back-to-back open competition successes at clubs in his home town – with a winning net score of 61 on each occasion.

And he even managed to steal the limelight against his dad, Mike, beating him into the runner-up spot in the second of the events.

Jack won the Gents Torwoodlee Open and followed that on September 12 with victory in the Gents Gala Open at Ladhope, with the same net score.

His father Mike was second in the latter with a net 67.

As well as reducing his handcap quite considerably, the dual success marked an impressive return to golf for Jack, who had not played last year and had most recently turned out occasionally with the juniors.

However, he took the sport up again during a lockdown spell and has practised regularly, while a holiday trip to Spain also helped improve his game.

Jack was wary of entering competitions too soon but the Galashies opens were available and, luckily for him, he decided to have a go – hiting a rich vein of form against fields of over 100 golfers in each case.

A Gala GC member at Ladhope and a pupil at Gala Academy, Jack also plays rugby for Gala Wanderers.

His versatility as a back has seen him play at centre, full back and scrum half.