Sangster seals scratch honours at Wick open
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There was an excellent turnout for the event, with 81 golfers playing on Saturday and 78 on Sunday which included a fair proportion of visitors.
Early starters had the best of the weather on Saturday as the northerly wind grew in strength as the day wore on.
Sunday was a fine, sunny day with a light easterly wind. The CSS reflected the weather with 71 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday.
Sangster claimed the overall scratch trophy with a level-par 69 on Saturday, the best scratch score of the weekend, and a six-over-par 75 on Sunday for a two-round total of 144.
In his first round, playing into the wind on the outward half, Sangster played near flawless golf. He went out in one-over-par 36, with his only dropped shot coming at the second hole, a superb effort in the conditions.
He was then a model of consistency on the inward half, having eight pars and a birdie at the 12th hole to come back in 33.
It was a surprise he could only shoot a six-over-par 75 on Sunday as the conditions were much easier but it was sufficient to take the scratch trophy.
Russell Angus of Wick was overall handicap winner over two rounds with a nett score of 136.
Angus, who played off a handicap of 12 on Saturday, made a poor start with a double bogey at the first hole but then went round well to go out in 43 and stormed back in 38 which included a birdie at the 14th for a nett 69.
On Sunday, Angus – whose handicap was reduced to 11 – took full advantage of the better conditions to return the best handicap score of the day, a magnificent nett 67, to win the overall handicap prize on Sunday and the overall handicap prize over two rounds.
Out in 41, despite a triple bogey at the fifth hole, Angus played superb golf to come back in 37 with a birdie at the 15th.
David Nicolson of Wick was the second scratch player on Saturday with a three-over-par 72. He got off to a great start with a birdie at the first, going out in two-over-par 37, and came back in one-over-par 35 which included a birdie at the 15th.
Overall handicap winner was Ian Boyd (15) of Thurso, with a nett 68 by virtue of a better inward half. He struggled to the turn in 45 but then played like a single-handicap golfer to come back in 38.
Winner of handicap category one (zero to 12) on Saturday was Gary Davidson (8) of Wick, with a nett 68.
Davidson has been playing well this season and continued this fine run, going out in 41 and showed his class by coming back in one-over-par 35 with birdies at the 11th and 13th holes.
Reay golfer J. O’Brien (7) was second with a nett 69, beating Angus on a better inward half.
O’Brien went out in 42 with a birdie at the second and then played superb golf to come back in level-par 34 which included birdies at the 10th and 11th holes.
Wick’s Keith Dougan (10) was fourth with a nett 70 which included a birdie at the 11th.
Fellow Wick player Mark MacKay (25) won handicap category two (13 to 28) on Saturday with a nett 68, beating Michael MacNab (22), also of Wick, on a better inward half.
MacKay had halves of 49 and 44 and MacNab 47 and 43.
Home player Lewis Ross (27) was third with a nett 71, beating clubmate Doug MacKay (16) on a better inward half.
MacKay had the consolation of winning a bottle of Old Pulteney for being nearest the pin at the 14th.
Leading the Sunday scores was Nicky Klimas of Wick, who took first scratch with a super two-over-par 71. Klimas raced to the turn in one-under-par 34 with birdies at the seventh and eighth holes but ran up a double bogey at the 12th to come back in three-over-par 37.
Alistair Young of Lybster was the second scratch player with a 72. He played fine golf to go out in 35, which included a birdie at the fourth, and came back in 37.
Winner of handicap category one (zero to 12) was Raymond Taylor (5) of Royal Dornoch, with a nett 68, beating Aly MacKay (6) and James Taylor (7), both of Wick, on a better inward half.
Out in 38, Taylor played well to come back in 35 which included a birdie at the 14th.
MacKay was second, going out in 36 with a birdie at the sixth and played well until he finished with a double bogey at the 17th and a bogey at the 18th to come back in 38.
Taylor played solid golf with halves of 36 and 39. Fourth was John Harper of Wick with a nett 69.
Mike Morrice (14) of Wick won handicap category two (13 to 28) with a nett 68, ahead of clubmates Ryan Sutherland (14) and Michael MacNab (21) on a better inward half.
Morrice struggled to the turn in 44 but then played splendid golf to come back in 38 with birdies at the 11th and 18th. Sutherland had halves of 42 and 40 and will be disappointed at finishing with a double bogey. MacNab had halves of 42 and 47.
Veteran Harry Cormack (19) of Wick was fourth with a nett 69.
Winner of the bottle of Old Pulteney for nearest the pin at the second was D. Mowat of Reay.
