Fantastic score of 143 secures victory for Gregor Munro in Reay Open
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It was another busy week at Reay with both the ladies and gents in action across several competitions.
The M2 Procurement and Commercial Services Reay Open saw gents competing for a plethora of prizes with both an 18 and 36-hole event being played.
The firm and fast course coupled with a strong breeze made for a tough challenge and this was reflected in the handicap calculations, with a playing conditions adjustment of plus-two applied for the first time this season.
The 36-hole scratch competition turned into a three-horse race between host club players Gregor Munro, Tom Ross and Brent Munro.
Brent Munro fired rounds of 77 and 75 to take third place on 152, managing three birdies across his two rounds in the process. Tom Ross led after a first-round 71 which included a pair of birdies, but despite an eagle at the 14th during round two he could only muster a score of 76 for 147.
That left the door open for Gregor Munro to take first place after he followed his first round of 74 with an excellent round of 69 which included no fewer than five birdies, giving him a fantastic winning score of 143.
In the 36-hole handicap competition Willie Paton surged into the lead following a superb first-round score of nett 61. He was understandably unable to reach these dizzy heights again in round two, but a solid score of nett 74 set a target of 135 which the chasing pack was unable to match, giving Paton a well-deserved victory.
However, after a first-round score of nett 70, Ian Ross gave Paton a run for his money with an excellent second round of nett 66 to finish just a stroke adrift in second place on 136.
Kevin Cameron posted two solid rounds of nett 71 and 73 to take third on 144, with Thurso’s Graeme Henderson claiming fourth on 147 after rounds of 75 and 72.
John O’Brien completed the prizes, finishing in fifth place on 150 after a pair of rounds of nett 75, with the unfortunate Steven Macdonald edged out on countback after he also posted an aggregate score of 150.
In the 18-hole competition Jack Halliday, out in the first group of the day, set a target no-one else could match after an excellent round of 90 – made up of matching halves of 45 – was good enough for a round of nett 68 and the win.
Martin Mackay (Durness) birdied the fifth on his way to a round of 84 for nett 72 and the runner-up spot. Paul Jackson (Tain) took third place on countback ahead of Murdo Macdonald after both posted rounds of nett 74.
The nearest-the-pin prizes, supplied by Rock Rose gin, were won by Colin Struthers, Brent Munro, Steven Macdonald and Gregor Munro.
Gregor Munro maintained his excellent form to fire a blistering round of 67 for nett 66 in round four of the strokeplay championship, with birdies at the third, sixth, ninth and 18th holes helping him along the way.
Jason Norwood bagged birdies of his own at the 10th and 14th holes on his way to a round of 73 for nett 67 and second place, pipping John O’Brien who also carded a round of 73 for nett 67, with a birdie at the 10th providing the highlight of his round.
Brent Munro fired 16 pars and two bogeys for a round of 71 for nett 67 and fourth place.
In the final strokeplay championship standings it was Gregor Munro who bagged his second trophy of the week, taking the scratch prize on a two-round aggregate score of 136 ahead of Tom Ross on 141 and Michael Smith on 142.
The handicap trophy was won by Jack Johnstone with a tremendous two-round score of 129, ahead of Jason Norwood on 133 and Donald Mowat on 136.
In the latest action in the North Point Distillery Senior Stableford competition, countback was required to determine the winner after both Mike Halliday and Willie Steven posted scores of 36. In the final analysis it was Halliday who took the spoils, but Steven did have the consolation of bagging birdies at the third and 17th during his round.
Graham Harness, Evan Sutherland, Colin Struthers and Stuart Greig were next best after all posted scores of 35 points. In the overall standings Colin Struthers still leads the way with a six-round aggregate score of 231, ahead of Willie Steven on 221 and Mike Halliday on 218.
The ladies' section hosted the County Pairs and it was a duo from the home club who took first prize after Jacqui Greig and Eilidh Paterson prevailed in the warm and windy conditions. Lybster duo Sally Page and Lynsey Macleod finished as runners-up, with Fiona Harper and Maureen Johnston (Wick) third.
Another Wick duo, Marion Mackay and Hannah McLean, took fourth place.
Meanwhile in club business, Laura Bain got straight back to winning ways after returning home from her studies for the summer to win round five of the Summer Stableford with an excellent 85 for a Stableford score of 37, with a birdie at the 15th helping her along the way.
Pauline Craig birdied the final hole to take second place on countback ahead of Eleanor Tunn and Sarah Meiklejohn after all three players posted 35 points. Tunn managed a rare eagle at the fourth hole, along with birdies at the second, seventh and 14th holes during her round, while Meiklejohn posted a solid round of 89 for her score.
In the overall ladies' eclectic standings, Pam Bain leads the way on nett 60 ahead of a trio of players, Rebecca Munro, Sarah Meiklejohn and Eleanor Tunn who are all on 62.
This weekend sees the Ladies' Open sponsored by Bighouse Melvich take centre stage on Saturday, while on Sunday the gents will be able to compete in round six of the Summer Cup. Reay will also be sending a team to Stromness to play in the annual Wilson Cup matches, with Gregor Munro, Tom Ross, Michael Smith and Colin Paterson representing the club.
