Sun brings low scores at Thurso
Following a run of good scores, Alan “Skins” Mackenzie played well to return a score of 43 points last Thursday. He was out in 22 points and back in 21 with a six at the 17th being his only single-point hole.
Sandy Reid was also out in 22 points thanks to birdies at the seventh and ninth holes. He managed 19 points on the inward nine for a total of 41 and second place.
Countback was required to determine third spot after four players – Walter Rutherford, Terry Mackay, Steven MacDonald and Grant Swart – all returned 39-point totals. Rutherford and Mackay both had 21 points on the back nine holes, with Rutherford winning on the better last three.
Malcolm Morrison and Jason Simpson both had 38 points, one more than Andrew Mackay, Mick Ross and Angus Cameron.
Last Friday, Andrew Richardson again relegated his father Derek to second best after scoring 35 points, four points more than the old man.
The competition on Saturday was the Stewart Cup. This was also the third qualifying round for the club championships.
Countback was required to identify the winner after four players returned nett 65.
Ronnie Gray was three over par for his first 15 holes before dropping four shots on the last three holes and taking fourth spot.
Mackenzie played steady golf off his new lower handicap to take third place. Mark Mackay was out in two over par before storming home in one over par, assisted by birdie twos at the short holes, to finish second.
Cameron tried hard to lose by taking a triple bogey seven at the 15th but finished with a birdie on the last hole to lift the cup.
Peter Sangster had the lowest gross score of 70 on his way to a nett 66, beating Stuart Bell by the better inward half.
Three players had nett 67 and finished in the order of Davie Dunbar, Mick Ross and Stanley Ross. Dunbar had a poor start but covered his last 16 holes in level par with seven threes on his card.
The ladies played their Coronation Pairs competition on Tuesday.
Jane Grant and Alison Campbell were the best pair, closely followed by a pair of Jeans, Clasper and Sutherland.
EGGS organiser Jim Buchan was in fine form on Tuesday when he won round nine of the EGGS Summer Stableford with 38 points. He had a particularly impressive first nine of 21 points.
Fresh from his success at Bonar last week, Paul Giggle claimed second place with 37 points, with 20 of those on the back nine.
Jim Hawthorn was on his own on 35 points for third place with no fewer than nine players a point further away.
Buchan’s effort took him to joint second place with Donald Jack, Sandy Reid and Jim Telfer in the quest for the Wallace Trophy.
The leader with four rounds remaining is Pat Valentine with a best five-round total of 163 points.