Reay golfers making the most of open season
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IT has been "open season" at Reay Golf Club in July with the course hosting a number of open events.
A healthy field of 27 players competed in the Reay Ladies' Open, which saw Thurso’s Emma Durrand successfully defending the trophy she won last year. A fine round of 89 made up of halves of 44 and 45 gave Durrand a nett 70 and the silverware.
Mollie O’Brien of the home club won the gross prize with an excellent round of 79 which gave her a nett 72. Her round was made up of halves of 42 and 37, and included a birdie at the 14th.
Lyndsay Stott and Carol Paterson were next in the standings after both carded rounds of nett 76, one shot ahead of Laura Durrand on nett 77.
The Gents' Senior Open was a keenly contested affair, with Ian Ross winning the overall prize after a round of 79 gave him a nett 68. Fred Groves finished second overall after posting the best gross score of the day, a 78, on the way to a nett 69, with a birdie at the sixth the highlight.
Mike Halliday of Thurso finished third overall after a round of 90 gave him a nett 70, just ahead of Kenny Farmer on nett 72 and Pete McCartney on nett 74.
Countback was required to determine the winner of the Donald Campbell Open, sponsored by Graham Construction, after both Fred Groves and Alex Anderson posted scores of nett 72. In the final analysis it was Groves who triumphed courtesy of a round of 81 made up of halves of 45 and a scorching inward 36 which included a birdie at the 11th.
Connor Ross pipped club captain Evan Sutherland to third place on countback after both carded scores of nett 75.
Round seven of the Jacobs Summer Cup was won by Gavin Gunn with a score of 35 Stableford points, ahead of Tom Ross and Michael Smith who both accumulated 34 points. In the overall standings Donald Mowat holds a narrow advantage with a three-round aggregate score of 111, ahead of Tom Ross and Leslie Malcolm on 110.
Thorburn sets new course record at Wick
Dougie Thorburn has set a new course record at Wick Golf Club – the second time the feat has been achieved this year.
Two months after Nicky Klimas shot a record-breaking 64 on the Reiss links course, greenkeeper Thorburn surpassed it with a superb 62 last Sunday.
Driving the green on the 286-yard first hole, Thorburn sank the putt for an eagle and continued to drop the putts with birdies on the second, third and fourth. Further birdies followed on six and nine to make the turn on seven-under 28.
Birdie, par, birdie followed but he short-sided himself on the 13th and could only manage a bogey. The strengthening headwind on the way home kept him focused and he managed to par his way in apart from another nervous bogey on the 18th for a total of 62.
Although he managed to score 42 points in the Stableford competition he was beaten by newcomer Gavin Majilton, who managed 44 points. Gordie Steven wasn't far behind with a gross 65 for 41 points.
For his course record score in May, Klimas had an outward nine of two-under-par 33 then came home in 31 with three birdies and six pars.
