Gareth Hardy returned to his old stamping ground of Dundonald Links and surged to victory in the opening Order of Merit event of the Arnold Clark Tartan Tour season.
The Prestwick St Nicholas pro, who worked for a spell at Dundonald, closed with a rousing eight-under 64 for an eight-under aggregate of 136 and claimed the £1,650 top prize by two shots from Paul O’Hara and Rob Paterson.
Hardy opened his challenge in the 36-hole shoot-out with a level-par 72 and was trailing first round pacesetter Graham Fox by five shots.
But the South African upped the ante on day two and came bounding up the order with a thrilling assault. Birdies at the first and third got him off-and-running and he made three more gains going out to reach the turn in 31.
A trio of birdies on the back nine cemented his position of authority and got his 2023 campaign off to a winning start.
O’Hara and Paterson signed off with a 68 and a 69 respectively to share second on six-under while overnight leader Fox had to settle for a share of fourth on five-under after a 72.
Craig Lee, last year’s Order of Merit winner, tied for ninth on a one-under total.
