Jamie Duguid listened to Nick Faldo commentating on Rory McIlroy’s history-equalling win in The Masters as he looked at the trophy he emulated the Englishman by claiming last weekend. The 26–year-old Dunbar player stormed to an impressive seven-shot success in the Golf Finance-sponsored Craigmillar Park Open after carding rounds of 64-70-66-64 for a 16-under-par total. Duiguid’s victory came 49 years after Faldo triumphed in the Capital event in what was his last outing as an amateur before launching one of the greatest careers in the history of European golf. Faldo’s successes included two Green Jackets and, for the event’s 89th edition, the six-time major winner was part of the Sky Sports commentary team at Augusta National. “It is a privilege to put my name on the trophy,” admitted Duguid, a civil servant with the Scottish Government. “I took it home on Sunday night and, as I was sitting watching The Masters, it was cool to see Nick Faldo’s name on the trophy as I was listening to him calling the shots at Augusta National.” Though Faldo is by far the biggest, others to have claimed the trophy include the legendary Ronnie Shade and Charlie Green, as well as Scott Jamieson and Marc Warren. “There’s also guys I’ve played golf with at Dunbar over the years, including Stephen Easingwood and, of course, a bunch of names that you recognise from being on the DP World Tour,” added the latest player to get his name etched on it. Duguid, who won the 2023 South East District Open at Bathgate in equally-impressive fashion, led by just one shot at the halfway stage before going on to leave the field trailing in his wake on the second and final day. Old Course Ranfurly’s Stewart Watt, the defending champion, finished as his closest challenger, with Phil Brown from Monifieth was four shots further back in third spot. “It was certainly a good start to the year,” declared Duiguid, who plays off plus five and is also a member of Duddingston. I would probably say the thing I was most pleased about is how I handled the weekend mentally. “With it being at the start of the season, the challenge is to get yourself up and going, but I managed to do that with a fast start, helped by the putter feeling that it was quite good, and I then managed to keep the momentum going into the Sunday.” A family commitment - his mum’s 50th birthday party - means Duguid will be unable to try and add the Battle Trophy at Crail this weekend, though he is turning out for Lothians in an annual match against Northumberland at Baberton on Sunday. “The next big event for me will be the Scottish Men’s Open at North Berwick (at the end of May), which I have had circled for a while,” he said. “That’s one I’d love to perform well in then there’s a nice run of events through to the Scottish Amateur at Gullane. “A lot of Lothians guys finished in the top ten at Craigmillar Park and, hopefully, that is a sign of things to come for the rest of the season.” After not being held last year due to heavy rain in the build up taking its toll on the Craighead Course at Crail, the Battle Trophy returns this weekend. Schloss Roxburghe’s Jack McDonald won the 2023 edition and is back to try and repeat the feat while others in the field on this occasion include 2023 East of Scotland Open winner and host club member Andrew Davidson. A posse of reinstated amateurs, meanwhile, include three-time Scottish PGA champion Chris Kelly (Scotscraig) and former Scottish Order of Merit winner James White (Lundin).