BLIND OPEN WIN FOR IAN
St Fillans Golf Club member (85) scoops top title
A blind golfer from St Fillans is celebrating after winning his category in the British Open.
Ian Moncrieff ( 85) took first place in the Stableford competition of the ISPS Handa British Blind Open which was held in Telford, Shropshire, last week.
Mr Moncrieff, a member of St Fillans Golf Club, was playing with his guide Robin Arnott, from Comrie.
He won with a total of 50 points – two points ahead of his nearest rival Adrian Downey from Ireland – in the annual contest which attracted golfers from all over the world.
He told the Herald: “I was really chuffed to win and I was the oldest golfer there as well by a long way.
“I’ve come in second and third place before in the Blind Open but I’ve never won it, so I was delighted and we celebrated with a few drams afterwards.
“That will probably be the last time I take part in the competition as I’m 85 now and not playing as much – so it’s great that I can go out on a high.”
Mr Moncrieff and Mr Arnott travelled down to Shropshire last week for the two-day competition, which began on July 19 at the Telford Hotel and Golf Resort.
It was hosted by the England and Wales Blind Golf Association and run in conjunction with ISPS Handa – the International Sports Promotion Society which champions disabled and blind golf.
Mr Moncrieff, a member of the Scottish Blind Golf Society, said: “We had a practice day and then the first competition day was the Tuesday – which was a really hot day.
“It was boiling wi t h temperatures in the nineties and the round took six hours so that was quite hard-going.
“The second day was cooler and that went well and we were delighted to come first in the Stableford section.”
Mr Moncrieff was presented with an engraved crystal bowl for his efforts.
The active octogenarian is well known in St Fillans for his golfing prowess and charitable works.
Three years ago, he successfully completed a solo row of Loch Earn for charity raising around £600 for the Guide Dog Association and the Scottish Blind Golf Society.