McDONALD’S John Godward has stormed into the Evening Express Champion of Champions scratch final.

John defeated Graeme Mitchell, of Braemar, by 7&5 in their semi-final at the Ellon course.

“I’m delighted to be in the final,” said John, 23.

“I don’t know what it is, but I definitely play better in matchplay than I do in strokeplay.

“I had six birdies in my match against Graeme and got off to a brilliant start.”

A par at the first, followed by a birdie three at the second, put John two holes ahead.

The pair halved the third in threes before John doubled his advantage with a birdie four at the fourth and a birdie three at the fifth.

The sixth was halved in bogey fives before both parred the next three holes and John remained four up at the turn.

The 10th was also halved in pars before John moved into overdrive on the back nine.

Successive birdie twos at the 11th and 12th gave him a six-hole advantage and Graeme conceded the match after John drove the 254-yard par 4 13th.

John will now play the winner of the other semi between double Scotland national champion David Law, of Hazlehead, and Laurie Phillips, of Cruden Bay, in the final at Kintore on Sunday, September 6.

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