Cowe produces the fireworks at Thurso
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THE first round of Thurso Golf Club’s winter eclectic competition was played on Saturday, October 29.
Walter Rutherford returned the best round of the day to win with a nett 69. One shot behind the winner was Edgar Wyllie on nett 70, spoiling an otherwise steady round with a triple bogey eight at the fourth hole.
Gary Calder had two birdies to get his eclectic score off to a good start in his round of nett 71 for third spot. Bob Robertson was fourth with a nett 74.
On the following Sunday a two-man Texas scramble was played with the pairings being allocated one quarter of their combined handicaps.
The combination of Harvey Cowe and Walter Rutherford played the first nine holes in one-under-par 34 thanks to a birdie two at the fifth. A further birdie at the 11th hole was followed by bogeys at the 14th, 16th and 17th for an inward nine of 36 and a gross 70, nett 63.5. This score was good enough to take first place.
Pat Valentine and Keith Dreaves combined well, also for a gross 70, but after their handicap was taken off they came second with a nett 64.25.
The best gross score of the day – 69 – was returned by Stevie Cowe and Colin Mackay, which after handicap adjustment gave them third spot with nett 65.25. In fourth place, half a point further back, were Bryan Ronald and Ali Simpson. The weather was glorious on Saturday (November 5) for the Blargoans November monthly medal. Producing the fireworks on the course was Stevie Cowe. Six threes, two of which were bogeys in equal halves of 36, resulted in a nett winning score of 65.
Alan Swanson had two birdies and two bogeys in a level-par round of 69, the best gross of the day, on his way to taking runner-up spot on nett 67.
Countback was required to separate Innes Mitchell and Rutherford after both returned nett 68, with Mitchell getting third place.
Three players scored nett 70 and finished in the order of Ronald, Gavin Souter and Dreaves. David Dunbar and Darren Sinclair were a shot further back.
Two players finished well clear of the rest in round six of the EGGS winter Stableford played in dry but windy conditions on Tuesday. Sandy Wright had the day’s best outward nine of 21 points and despite a blank at the 12th hole, from an out-of-bounds tee shot, added 20 more points on the way in for a splendid 41-point total.
This was not good enough to win, however, as Jim Hawthorn had a superb inward nine of 22 points to add to his outward total of 20 and so beat Wright by a point. The winner’s card contained an equal number of blank and four-point holes.
Competition organiser Jim Buchan and George Mitchell both had 36 points, one ahead of Dave Lyall, with Billy Hossack and Ronald Mackay a further point back.
