BORDERS brothers Craig and Darren Howie have enjoyed a golfing week to remember.

Elder brother Craig, the former Scottish Boys Champion and a golf scholar at the University of Stirling, put in one of the finest performances of his career at the weekend, finishing tied third at the St Andrews Links Trophy over the Old Course at the home of Golf.

One of the most important events at the top level of the amateur game in Europe, Craig finished the tournament on level par, just two shots behind winner Federico Zucchetti from Italy.

The 20-year-old from Peebles was the leading UK player in the field.

In testing conditions, with Saturday’s second round abandoned due to 60 miles-per-hour winds, he produced rounds of 70, 76 and a superb two-under par final round of 70 – including an eagle 2 at the 12th – amid the grandstands of the Old Course, set up for next month’s Open Championship.

It was Craig’s fourth top-10 finish of an excellent season as he looks to earn a call-up to the Scotland team this summer.

He’s also eyeing up a place in the Great Britain & Ireland team to face the USA in September’s Walker Cup - the amateur equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

Younger brother Darren won the prestigious Scottish Schools Championship, sponsored by the Paul Lawrie Foundation, at Murrayshall in Perthshire on Monday.

The 15-year-old beat some of the best junior golfers in the country.

Darren, who earned his first Scotland boys Under-16s cap earlier this season, won by two shots with an excellent two-under par total of 139 for his rounds of 72 and 67.

He was the only player in the field under par, amassing no fewer than nine birdies in 36 holes over the Murrayshall and Lynedoch courses.